JAKARTA - The trend of listening to music in the United States (US) has undergone a significant shift throughout 2026. The latest report from Luminate revealed that electronic music (dance music) is the genre with the fastest growth rate in the Uncle Sam's country compared to the previous year.
The massive growth of the electronic genre is driven by live performances and the works of popular DJs such as Disco Lines and John Summit. In addition, the surge in listener interest is also triggered by the resurgence of electronic songs released from 2015 to 2017 that are popular again on digital platforms.
Although electronic music recorded the highest growth spike, the throne of the most popular genre overall in the US is still held by R&B and hip-hop. Luminate noted that the combination of the two accounted for one in every four songs streamed by listeners in the US.
On the other hand, Latin music also showed its fangs with an equally impressive growth trend. In the first quarter of 2026, the level of casual listeners of Latin music jumped to 54 percent. Spanish-language songs now account for about 1 out of every 10 streaming rounds in the US.
The surge in the popularity of Latin music is inseparable from the role of top musicians such as Shakira, Peso Pluma, and Karol G. The presence of Bad Bunny who performed stunningly on the Super Bowl 2026 halftime stage and recorded a record as the Spanish-speaking artist with the highest chart position in history is also a major driver of this mainstream.
In general, music streaming consumption in the US grew 4.8 percent compared to mid-2025. This shift marks a change in the consumption pattern of listeners that is increasingly global and no longer dominated by one language.
"We are witnessing a structural realignment in language and territorial boundaries, which proves that the success of mainstream music is no longer pinned on one market alone," said Jaime Marconette, Vice President of Music Insights & Industry Relations at Luminate, quoted by NME, Tuesday, July 28.
Marconette also added that the situation of English-language music releases is now at its lowest point in history in the US.
"In the US, streaming of English-language songs fell to an all-time low of 87.1 percent, while consumption of Spanish-language songs continued to increase. By mid-2026, the music industry benchmark shows an industry that continues to expand its global footprint," he added.
The Luminate report also highlights an interesting dynamic in the physical release sector. CD sales in the US from January to June reached 16.3 million units, surpassing the growth rate of vinyl. However, in terms of total sales volume, vinyl still has an advantage with 21.8 million copies sold.
Harry Styles' vinyl album titled "Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally" became the best-selling vinyl in the UK throughout 2026 so far with sales figures reaching 69,000 copies by mid-April, followed by works from Olivia Dean, Gorillaz, the War Child charity album, and Fleetwood Mac. Meanwhile, the top position for the vinyl single release was achieved by singer Raye through the song "Where Is My Husband!".
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