BMG today announced a strong financial performance for the full year 2025, reflecting the disciplined execution of its long-term BMG Next strategy and continued progress in profitability and digital transformation. The company achieved a record EBITDA margin of 32%, a +4%-pts increase from the previous year, with operating EBITDA adjusted reaching a record EUR 284 million, representing significant growth in absolute terms.

The results also saw robust double-digit growth in underlying recorded music streaming subscription revenue. Digital revenue now accounts for 71% of total revenue, up from 68%, highlighting the effectiveness of BMG’s strategic focus on digital growth.

Total revenue for the year was EUR 900 million, a -7% reported and -2% organic change. This outcome reflects deliberate portfolio decisions, including the divestment of non-core businesses, such as Live, unfavorable foreign exchange movements, as well as BMG’s continued prioritization of digitally driven revenue streams.

Thomas Coesfeld, CEO, BMG, said: “2025 was a transformational year for BMG, defined by disciplined execution under our BMG Next strategy. We sharpened our focus on music publishing and recorded music, strengthened our digital capabilities, and supported that focus through our Boost investments and cutting-edge technology, including the integration of AI across our workflows. Delivering a record EBITDA margin of 32%, while significantly increasing EBITDA in absolute terms demonstrates the strength and scalability of our operating model and reflects the dedication of our global teams in driving sustainable long-term growth for our artists and songwriters.”

BMG’s commitment to its Boost investment program continued at record levels, bringing total investments in music rights catalogs to over USD 1.5 billion since 2021. 2025 saw BMG complete its single largest catalog acquisition to date with country superstar Jason Aldean, alongside rights to over 1,000 songs from 23 other artists and songwriters. In total, BMG completed 30 acquisitions in 2025 and further expanded its world-class roster and IP portfolio with significant new signings and extensions, including OneRepublic, Joyce Wrice, James Arthur and ALOK.

In the recorded music business, standout releases included projects by Lily Allen, Wiz Khalifa, Jason Aldean, Caparezza, Mötley Crüe, and yung kai. Lainey Wilson won a total of four Country Music Association Awards including “Entertainer of the Year”. BMG clients also achieved major success at the 2026 GRAMMYs, receiving 20 direct nominations and winning awards in 12 categories, including three for Country star Jelly Roll. On the publishing side, roselilah and Kamasi Washington won awards for co-writing “luther”, performed by Kendrick Lamar and SZA. Further successes in 2025 included No. 1 placements for BMG songwriters Lewis Capaldi, Kontra K, and Jessie Reyez.

BMG significantly advanced its go-to-market approach by renewing direct licensing partnerships with key DSPs such as Spotify and TikTok. These agreements enhance BMG’s ability to promote its music, leverage deeper audience insights, improve content placement, and ensure faster, more direct collection for songwriters, demonstrating improved client service and enhanced monetization capabilities.

A cornerstone of BMG’s 2025 strategy was its increased focus on Artificial Intelligence. The company deepened the integration of GenAI across core workflows, from marketing content creation and automation to developing an agentic AI-supported recommendation engine for its newly unified Sync+ division. Strategic partnerships with Google Cloud and OpenAI, alongside an extended research partnership with TUM School of Management, underpin BMG’s ambition to be the definitive music company of the AI age. BMG stands firmly with artists and songwriters, believing AI must enhance creativity and pledging to ensure copyright protection and fair remuneration.

Coesfeld added: “With shifting streaming economics and the transformative potential of AI, BMG is well positioned to deliver on its long-term ambitions. Our disciplined strategy, robust investment program, and pioneering use of technology enable us to create long-term value for our artists, songwriters, and partners, all while protecting intellectual property in this new era.”