However, a crop of new British stars including Lola Young, Central Cee and Myles Smith have made a big impact at home and abroad in recent months, suggesting the well is not running dry.
Jo Twist, chief executive of British record industry body the BPI, said: “British artists may have enjoyed stronger years on the international stage, which perhaps isn’t surprising given some of our biggest names were not in cycle in 2024.
“There was still plenty to be excited about, as a new generation announced itself – not least Charli XCX, who enjoyed a breakthrough year globally, alongside international chart success for emerging artists such as Jordan Adetunji, Artemas and Good Neighbours, while the likes of Lola Young and Myles are now rapidly building an international following.”
While asserting UK record companies do “an amazing job” at nurturing new artists, it is “undoubtedly becoming much harder to break talent in a hyper-competitive global music economy”, she admitted.
“Streaming has created many benefits, enabling more artists to succeed, but has also levelled the playing field for music markets around the world, opening up more challenges to the UK.”