IMS Ibiza 2025: The Post-Boom State of Electronic Music and What Lies Ahead for the Dancefloor

IMS Ibiza 2025 reveals key trends: streaming growth slows, live music stabilizes and indie labels & the Global South gain momentum

The Ibiza sun doesn't just shine on iconic beaches and legendary parties—it also sets the stage for the International Music Summit (IMS), the annual gathering of the brightest minds in electronic music. A true thermometer for the state of the industry, IMS Ibiza once again delivered essential insights with the release of its highly anticipated Business Report 2025, authored by MIDiA Research. For us at DJane Mag—and for every DJ, producer, and electronic music enthusiast—this report is nothing short of a compass.

A Global Snapshot: Big Numbers, Subtle Shifts

The 2024 overview paints a picture of a thriving music business, with the world’s 16 largest music companies posting a combined revenue of $83.5 billion, up 8% from the previous year. But behind these robust numbers lie subtle signals: a slowing growth rate compared to the post-pandemic boom of 2022 and 2023, and clear signs that the industry is transitioning into a "new normal." What does this mean for electronic music, for dancefloors, and for those who live and breathe the culture? Let’s dive into the data.

Streaming: Still King, But Growth Is Decoupling

Streaming solidified its place as the engine of the global recorded music market in 2024, generating $22.2 billion of the $36.2 billion global total. For the first time, digital streaming platforms (DSPs) like Spotify and Apple Music were the fastest-growing segment in the entire music business, posting an 18% revenue jump.

However, a curious trend emerged: while the number of global streaming subscribers rose 12% to 818 million, revenue growth slowed to 6%. This decoupling suggests that more people—particularly in emerging markets across the Global South—are subscribing, but the average revenue per user (ARPU) is dropping.

For DJs and producers, this dynamic creates both opportunities and challenges. Platforms like Spotify (still holding 32% of the global market) and YouTube Music (the only other DSP to post strong growth in 2024) offer unmatched reach. But monetization remains a key concern. Independent labels—home to much of the electronic music ecosystem—gained market share but now face uncertainty as new licensing models threaten the viability of their streaming revenues. For self-releasing artists, increasingly common in our scene, royalty thresholds are limiting returns. Navigating this evolving ecosystem is critical to sustaining creative careers in the digital era.

Read this next: IMS Ibiza 2025: Cultural Reflections, Diversity, and the Power of Women in the New Global Landscape

Live Music Rebounds: The Dancefloor Strikes Back

While streaming rules individual consumption, the collective experience of electronic music is roaring back to life on the dancefloor. IMS confirms that live music has not only recovered from the pandemic—it’s thriving. In 2024, the live sector stabilized at a high level, generating $27 billion, with the Top 100 global tours bringing in $9.5 billion.

This growth, though more organic than the reopening surge, was powered by advance ticket sales for 2025 and, notably, increased ticket prices, which became a more important revenue driver than sheer volume of tickets sold.

For electronic music, this is both promising and precarious. Big festivals and high-ticket events are booming, providing massive platforms for DJs to connect with global audiences and build sustainable income. But the report also issues a warning: smaller clubs and grassroots events—the lifeblood of underground culture—are under pressure. Rising costs, venue closures, and shifts in consumer spending threaten the foundation of the scene. Striking a balance between mega-events and grassroots support will be crucial for a diverse, healthy future.

The Indie Rise and the Global South Surge

While the major labels continue to dominate headlines, IMS 2025 emphasizes a powerful undercurrent: the rise of independent labels. For the second year in a row, indies increased their market share, with revenues growing 8% in 2024 to $10.7 billion, outpacing the majors. This is particularly meaningful for electronic music, where genre-defining innovation often comes from outside the mainstream.

At the same time, a geographic shift is underway. The Global South is emerging as a powerhouse, fueling most of the new user growth in streaming. While this currently translates to audience volume more than revenue, the cultural ripple effect is coming. As new scenes rise in Brazil, India, and Africa, they’ll shape the future of sound. For electronic music artists, this means new markets to tap, new sonic influences to embrace, and massive potential for cross-cultural collaborations.

Conclusion: Reading the Beat of Change

The IMS Business Report 2025 paints a complex but ultimately optimistic portrait of the global music industry—and by extension, of our electronic music world. Yes, we’re entering a more mature phase of growth. But the fundamentals remain strong, and the next chapter is rich with possibility.

Key takeaways are clear:

• Streaming is dominant, but artists—especially independent ones—must fight for fair compensation.

• Live music is alive and well, though the scene's grassroots layer needs reinforcement.

• And the Global South is rising—not just as consumers, but as cultural leaders.

As DJs, producers, and electronic music advocates, we’re not just watching the tides—we’re shaping them. Understanding these shifts isn’t just good business sense; it’s essential to safeguarding and evolving our culture. From club to festival, from stream to stage, the beat goes on. And the future of the dancefloor is being written right now.

Until then, stay tuned, stay creative—and we’ll see you at IMS Ibiza 2026.