Sony Tops $3BN in Q1 Music Revenue, Up 19.5% YoY

Sony Music has delivered strong Q1 and full fiscal year results, driven by streaming growth, booming live and merchandising revenue, and strong performances from artists including Bad Bunny, Harry Styles, and BLACKPINK.

Q1 2026 highlights:

• Sony Group Corporation generated an estimated $3.03 billion in combined recorded music and music publishing revenue in calendar Q1 2026 (January-March), up 19.5% year-on-year.

• As Music Business Worldwide points out, it marked Sony’s second consecutive quarter above $3 billion in music revenue.

• Recorded music revenue rose 23.2% YoY to $2.35 billion.

• Streaming generated $1.44 billion, up 13.6% YoY.

• Physical music sales surged 37.3% to roughly $242 million.

• Sony’s “Other” revenue category – including live events, merchandising and licensing – jumped 51% YoY to an estimated $631.9 million, accounting for nearly half of the quarter’s overall growth.

• Download revenue fell to an estimated $38.9 million, a drop of 20.1% YoY.

• Music publishing revenue climbed 8.4% YoY to approximately $684 million, with publishing streaming revenue up 10.8% to $402.5 million.

Top-selling releases:

• Sony’s top-five-selling projects in Q1 were:

• 1. DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny

• 2. Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. by Harry Styles

• 3. GOLDEN HOUR : PART.4 by ATEEZ

• 4. Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny

• 5. BLACKPINK The 3rd MINI ALBUM by BLACKPINK

Full fiscal year performance:

• For the fiscal year (April 2025-March 2026), Sony’s combined recorded music and publishing revenues reached $11.71 billion, up 13.4% YoY.

• Recorded music revenue totaled $8.93 billion, up 13.8% YoY, while publishing generated $2.79 billion, up 11.9% YoY.

• Sony’s full Music division operating income rose 25% YoY to approximately $2.97 billion, with the company citing continued streaming growth, stronger live revenues and gains from its visual media and gaming businesses.