Pop moguls say language is no longer a barrier to chart success

THE era of pop stars having to sing in English for worldwide success may be drawing to a close as artists from Asia and South America creep up the charts.

Songs in Spanish, Chinese and Korean are enjoying rising success worldwide, an industry report has found.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) reports that while sales of music in Europe grew a modest 0.1 per cent in 2018, Latin America shot up 16.8 per cent and Asia and Australasia 11. 7 per cent.

“The fastest growing markets are in Asia, South Korea and Brazil. With Asia becoming the second largest region for physical and digital music combined for the first time,” it said.

Jeremy Marsh, of Warner Music, said: “Many predicted the globalised world of streaming would see Anglo repertoire flood other markets. But while international opportunities for Anglo artists have increased, we’re seeing a huge flow of music back the other way.

“We’ve seen this with music from markets such as Latin America and Korea, and we’re starting to see it with music from regions like Africa, too.”

Overall, the global music industry is celebrating a fourth year of growth, with non-physical sales continuing to dominate the market in 2018. Revenues have risen from a low point of £11billion in 2014, having fallen almost every year for more than a decade.

The IFPI found that the industry is now worth about £15billion, close to the level of 2006.

The UK remains the third biggest music market behind the US and Japan.

Frances Moore, IFPI chief executive, said: “What we have seen very clearly are that the Latin American markets, and the Asian and Australian markets are really on the rise.”