Entertainment
entertainment
Share
Universal Music Revenue Hits $3.8bn as Streaming Push Grows
Published 01:53 31 Jul 2026 BST
Updated 19:40 30 Jul 2026 BST
Homeentertainment
Universal Music Revenue Hits $3.8bn as Streaming Push Grows
Universal Music Group has posted €3.294bn ($3.8bn) in revenue for the second quarter of 2026, a 10.5% rise year on year, as the world’s biggest record company leaned further into streaming. The results, published on Thursday, were flattered by its recent acquisition of Downtown Music; stripping that out, revenue was just over €3bn.
Where Universal Music made its money
Recorded music revenue grew about 13% to €2.516bn, while publishing rose around 8% to €616m. Merchandising was the weak spot, dropping 13% to €167m — a second straight quarterly decline the label, home to artists such as Ariana Grande, blamed on the timing of its roster’s tours and lower direct-to-consumer sales.
We’re delivering on our strategic plan, and working to further sharpen our execution, while capitalizing on the opportunities presented by new technologies and the ever-evolving music ecosystem.
Lucian Grainge, UMG chairman and CEO
Universal Music's new India strategy
On the earnings call, Grainge also unveiled a new approach for India, where UMG’s new releases will be exclusive to paid streaming for their first 72 hours before reaching free, ad-supported tiers — mirroring a strategy already rolled out in China. Chief digital officer Michael Nash called India “a key high potential market”, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
Explore more on these topics:
