THE BIG STORY
said Richards. “Fans are responding to bands who bring honesty, huge songs and a proper connection with their audience. The UK has always had a powerful rock culture, and this year has shown just how strong that foundation still is.”
There were other big results in rock including two No.1 records for Yungblud (including Aerosmith EP collaboration One More Time), plus No.2 entries for international acts like Deftones and Ghost, and Top 20 finishes for Turnstile, Babymetal and Spiritbox. “Looking ahead to 2026, the opportunity is there if we keep investing in artist development, live infrastructure and giving fans meaningful experiences,” said Richards. “The audience for heavy music is absolutely growing – younger listeners are discovering rock and metal in big numbers, and they’re engaging with it in the same way they do with any major genre. It feels like expansion, not nostalgia.”
SPECIAL K-POP
There was no doubt about which genre was in the ascendant in 2025 – K-pop came of age thanks to a Netflix soundtrack release that dominated the compilation charts. As Music Week went to press, the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack was the third biggest album of the year (380,725 units) behind Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter. Golden spent 10 weeks at No.1 for K-Pop Demon Hunters group Huntr/x – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami, with consumption of 1,124,445 units putting it in the year’s overall Top 5. Golden is only the second No.1 by an act wholly or predominantly from South Korea following Gangnam Style by Psy in 2012. It is just behind another K-pop star, Rosé of Blackpink,
Golden rules: (below) K-Pop Demon Hunters’ Huntr/x vocalists Audrey Nuna, Ejae and Rei Ami, (top) Rosalía
“An artist like Rosalía comes along only once
in a lifetime” Dipesh Parmar, Columbia
whose Bruno Mars collaboration Apt is No.4 overall (1,271,980 units).
In August, there was a new chart record with seven concurrent Top 40 K-pop hits.
Jordan Jay, founder & CEO of Karma Artists, represents writers and producers who increasingly focus on South Korea. He believes that the growth of Korean culture has contributed to a “big year for K-pop”.
“There’s been a noticeable shift in focus from Western songwriters towards Korean acts, especially at a time when there’s been less traditional pop in the UK for writers to engage with,” he said. “We recognised that trend a few years ago and spent time in Korea building relationships so our writers could be part of the global expansion of K-pop. That collaboration has played a real role in making it sonically accessible and appealing to Western audiences.”
Jay also made sure to credit K-Pop Demon Hunters for “introducing K-pop to an even younger generation in a massive way”.
“Looking ahead, I absolutely expect Korean music to remain a powerful force next year,” he added. “Fanbases continue to grow, and many major Korean labels have exciting new projects in development. That said, we’re also seeing renewed investment in pop in both the UK and US. So the landscape may become more competitive, but that’s ultimately good for the genre and pop music as a whole.”
LANGUAGE LESSON
As shown by K-pop, the expanding global marketplace for streaming allows more international artists to connect. As a result, our charts are more open to acts from other territories. Eight years after Spanish-language track Despacito was second only to Ed Sheeran in the year-end rankings, Rosalía has made an impact in the albums chart with Lux (see p88). Securing a No.4 entry, Rosalía broke records with the highest-charting album to date by a solo Spanish female artist. With multiple collaborations, Lux boasts lyrics in 13 languages. Berghain, featuring Björk and Yves Tumor, cracked the Top 40, while two other tracks made the Top 75.
“It happens only once in a lifetime when an artist like Rosalía comes along and redefines popular culture, pushing the boundaries of what it means to be an artist,” said Dipesh Parmar, president of Columbia Records UK. “Her ability to blend languages and genres with classical, operatic and orchestral sounds into something truly modern shows that listeners here in the UK are hungry for artistry that transcends borders. This album is a true piece of art, a masterpiece that has resonated with all types of music fans and become a global phenomenon – and the UK is responding with genuine excitement.”
“I absolutely expect Korean music to remain a powerful
force next year” Jordan Jay, Karma Artists
08 | Music Week
musicweek.com
PHOTOS: Jack Dytrych, JMEnternational/Getty Images
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