Bulgarian music industry thrives with streaming, vinyl boost

In 2025, revenue from recorded music in Bulgaria exceeded USD 20 million for the first time, reaching USD 21.7 million.

The country’s market grew twice as fast as the global average, rising by 13.2% over the past year, the Bulgarian Association of Music Producers (BAMP) said on the occasion of the presentation of the Global Music Report 2026 by IFPI in London, CE Report quotes BTA.

“Nearly 60% of revenues in Bulgaria come from music streaming, about 11% from physical sales (mainly CDs and vinyl), and over 28% are generated through collective rights management by PROPHON via licensing businesses that use music - media, commercial and tourist sites, and others. Revenue from paid streaming services is the main driver of the market in the country in 2025, growing by 22% and generating over 40% of industry revenues,” said BAMP Executive Director Boral Shen.

“All our research shows that the potential in this segment in Bulgaria is much greater. Music piracy remains a factor, and key legislative gaps hinder the proper development of streaming services and lead to lost revenue in the sector, including in the collective rights management system. Despite these conditions, however, the market and investment in talent in Bulgaria are showing growth,” he added.

A clear trend is also the increase in revenue from vinyl record sales in Bulgaria, which rose by 23.5%, a growth similar to that observed in global data. Revenue from the collective management of related rights through the Bulgarian society PROPHON also increased by 12.6% in 2025.