How to get your music heard: more than 200 million tracks are now on audio streaming services
There are currently over 200 million tracks available on audio streaming platforms, but nearly half of them struggle to find an audience! A new report from Luminate, released on January 15, 2025, sheds light on the growing issue of underperforming music in the streaming world.
The numbers behind the problem
Luminate’s 2024 Year-End Music Report reveals that there were 202 million distinct tracks on streaming platforms by the end of last year. This represents an increase of 18 million tracks (or +9.8%) compared to the previous year’s 184 million.
On average, over one million new tracks were uploaded monthly in 2024.
Despite this staggering growth in available music, a significant portion of these tracks remains virtually unheard.
According to the report, 93.2 million of the 202 million tracks were played no more than 10 times throughout the entire year! This means nearly half of all available tracks are struggling to gain any traction with listeners.
Streaming oversaturation
The sheer volume of music being uploaded to streaming platforms has created a situation where the majority of tracks are effectively lost in an oversaturated market.
Luminate estimates that 175.5 million tracks, or 87% of all tracks on streaming platforms, received 1,000 plays or fewer in 2024. This includes approximately 50 million tracks that went completely unplayed.
To put it another way, only about 13% of tracks on streaming platforms managed to surpass 1,000 streams last year. For artists, this paints a challenging picture: nine out of ten tracks on streaming services fail to achieve substantial listenership.
The impact of AI and accessible tools
The rise of AI-powered tools and affordable production software has made music creation more accessible than ever. While this democratization of music production is a positive development, it has also contributed to an explosion of new releases that struggle to find an audience. With millions of tracks being uploaded annually, the competition for listener attention has reached unprecedented levels.
Matchfy: empowering artists to break through
In a world where millions of tracks go unheard, Matchfy is on a mission to help artists worldwide connect with their audience and break through the noise.
By providing tools to improve interactions on Spotify, Matchfy empowers artists to unlock the recommendation algorithm and reach listeners who genuinely appreciate their music.
Matchfy’s community-driven platform connects artists with thousands of curators, influencers, and collaborators, enabling meaningful connections and organic growth.
Unlike traditional approaches focused solely on accumulating streams, Matchfy prioritizes building a real audience for artists, fostering long-term success rather than fleeting metrics.
Through features like unlimited playlist submissions, artist-curator connections, and actionable insights, Matchfy equips artists with the resources they need to stand out in an oversaturated market.
The platform is designed to bridge the gap between creators and listeners, ensuring that music finds its rightful audience.
What comes next?
The industry is left grappling with the question of how to address this oversaturation. Should streaming platforms implement stricter curation? Should royalty systems be adjusted to better support emerging and underrepresented artists? Or is this simply the new reality of a democratized music landscape, where success is harder to achieve but also more accessible to all?
As the debate continues, one thing is clear: platforms like Matchfy offer a beacon of hope for artists seeking to thrive in the streaming age. By focusing on authentic connections and community-driven growth, Matchfy is helping to reshape the future of music promotion and empowering artists to find the audience they deserve.
Ready to build your audience?
Don’t let your music get lost in the crowd. Join Matchfy today and take the first step towards creating genuine connections, reaching real listeners, and unlocking the full potential of your music. Sign up now and let Matchfy help you stand out in the streaming world!