2022 was a record year for music, video, and games sales in the UK, according to new research.

Preliminary figures from The Digital Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA) found that despite an uncertain macroeconomic and geopolitical environment, the value of the UK's home entertainment market jumped by almost seven per cent to £11.1 billion last year.

The research also revealed that sales across the three sectors were up by 39 per cent in comparison to pre-pandemic levels.


The association said that the primary driver of growth continues to be streaming and digital formats, which reached £10.1 billion last year–up by over eight per cent on 2021.

The figures suggest that the fastest growing sector is video–up by 14 per cent–with the sales hike largely driven by subscription streaming services from the likes of Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+, and Now TV.

Music saw a three per cent increase in sales, their highest level since 2003 and nearly double their lowest point in 2013.

Games sales were up by just over two per cent, but continued to represent the largest sector of sales, making up 42 per cent of the total.

“Growth of nearly 40 per cent since 2019 is extraordinary,” said ERA chairman Ben Drury. “Few would have believed we would retain the huge bounce in revenues seen when the Covid lockdown kept people at home, but these numbers show that even amid recession, people are determined to maintain their spending on entertainment.”

The study revealed that the leading titles in each sector were FIFA 23 for games, Top Gun Maverick for video, and Harry's House by Harry Styles for music.

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