Just released at IMS Ibiza 2025: IMS Business report shows 60 million people using music apps, 10% already...

Key takeaways:

• Experts think AI will change everything from how songs are made to how musicians get paid.
• 60 million people used music apps in 2024, 10% of consumers reported using generative AI to compose music or lyrics.
• The electronic music industry hit $12.9 billion, but there are worries about music losing its human touch.

AI is making a big impact in music, and the new IMS Business Report 2025 shows just how fast things are changing. In 2024, 60 million people used music creation apps, and 10% of consumers tried out generative AI to write music or lyrics.

The IMS Business Report was released on the first day of IMS Ibiza 2025 and you can find all the details on the International Music Summit website. Mark Mulligan from MIDiA Research, who put the report together, says, “AI will transform the music business, though not in the way many expect. It will impact everything from A&R automation to improving royalty distribution and catalog management”.

He also pointed out that while AI can make music production easier and more accessible, there’s a risk of too much algorithm-driven “best fit” music, which might take away from the authenticity of what we hear.

Mulligan said, “I think AI will become a tool to help producers who aren’t great at mixing or mastering, or to inspire new sounds. But we will also see a lot of music that’s made just to fit into playlists and algorithms. That’s when things will get interesting, and listeners may start pushing back”.

For more on the event, check out the IMS Ibiza 2025 opening day highlights.

AI is making it easier for anyone to make music, but Mulligan warns that if too many songs are made just to fit what algorithms want, music could start to feel less real or personal.

The report also notes that the electronic music business is now worth a record $12.9 billion worldwide. Even though the industry is growing, the real challenge is keeping music creative and real as AI tools become more common.

If you’re making music or just love listening, it’s important to think about how AI can help without taking away what makes music special.

For more details, you can dive into the full IMS Business Report and see how AI and other trends are changing the future of electronic music.