Nielsen has released its 2017 year-end music report, with its data showing that overall consumption of albums, songs and audio on-demand streaming grew 12.5 percent year over year. A 59 percent increase in on-demand audio streams offset track and album sales declines.

For the first time ever, R&B/Hip-Hop became the most dominant genre, with seven of the top 10 most-consumed albums coming from that genre. The popularity of R&B/Hip-Hop was powered by a 72 percent increase in on-demand audio streaming.

Highlights from Nielsen’s report include:

  • Ed Sheeran’s ÷ was the leader in total volume (albums + track equivalent albums + on-demand audio streaming equivalent albums), followed by Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. and Taylor Swift’s reputation.
  • Latin music history was made when Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s Spanish-language smash “Despacito” and its crossover remix featuring Justin Bieber topped the Hot 100 chart. “Despacito” was the biggest song of the year in terms of total activity (sales + on-demand audio streaming equivalents), followed by Sheeran’s “Shape of You” and “Humble” by Lamar.
    “Despacito” and “Shape of You” also led the Digital Song Sales chart, followed by Sam Hunt’s “Body Like a Back Road” at #3.
  • Vinyl had a renaissance at retail by experiencing sales growth for the 12th consecutive year, comprising 14 percent of all physical album sales. The top-selling vinyl LP of the year was the re-release of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

The #1 artist of the year was Drake, with 4.83 million total consumption units, followed by Lamar, Sheeran, Swift and Future. Drake was also #1 ranked by on demand streams alone. In total sales, Swift’s reputation was #1 with 1.903 million copies sold, followed by Sheeran’s ÷, DAMN. from Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars‘ 24K Magic and the soundtrack to Moana.

According to Nielsen’s data, the top songs of the year based on radio audience were: Sheeran’s “Shape of You,” “That’s What I Like” from Mars, “Something Just Like This” by Chainsmokers with Coldplay, Zedd featuring Alessia Cara‘s “Stay” and Cara’s solo hit “Scars to Your Beautiful.”

Nielsen’s top ten radio formats for 2017, based on Persons 6+ share, were: News/Talk, AC, Country, CHR, Hot AC, Classic Rock, Classic Hits, Urban AC, Sports, Urban Contemporary and Mexican Regional.