BPI year report shows a six-fold increase in hip hop music consumption in the UK against the beginning of the century. Young British rappers benefit from the shift that Slim Shady made with his groundbreaking album back in 1999.
The UK association of independent and major record labels published its “All About the Music 2021” yearbook today, and the success of hip hop was one of the highlights of the report.
In 1999, rap/hip-hop’s share of the UK singles market was just 3.6%, the share of the albums market — 2.0%. The growth was not steady over the last two decades, but for six consecutive years now, rap and hip hop sales and streams encroach on other genres territory, increasing the genre’s market share. In 2020 rap and hip hop records accounted for 22% of all UK singles consumption, while the albums market share reached 12.2%.
It is the all-time high for hip hop on the British music market. Drake and Eminem have been among the genre’s most successful artists, notes the report. However, more and more homegrown talents are ready to battle international stars in charts.
Stormzy, Eminem and J Hus were the first artists to top British charts in 2020, and while only Stormzy has managed to stay in the top 5 most popular albums of 2020, the singles chart shows more British rappers.
However, while appreciating the success of the British hip hop scene, we will take a minute to marvel at Eminem’s achievement. Over 20 years into the music career, he holds his ground against younger generations and across the ocean. He does it effortlessly, being focused on making his music, not promoting it.
2020 Official Top 5 Rap & Hip Hop albums
1. Stormzy — Heavy Is The Head
2. Pop Smoke — Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon
3. Eminem — Music To Be Murdered By
4. Post Malone — Hollywood’s Bleeding
5. Juice Wrld — Legends Never Die
