Leading musicians in the UK Q3 2023, by fame

According to a study from the third quarter of 2023, the most famous music artist of all times in the United Kingdom were Ed Sheeran, Britney Spears, as well as Elvis Presley with 99 percent of respondents stating that they had heard of the artists. In second place came Madonna, ABBA, Mchael Jacksons, and others.

From Adele to Elton John

The British singer Adele has finally started her long-awaited Las Vegas residency at the end of 2022, which had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. So far, her show has been critically acclaimed and will undoubtedly add to her fame.

At the same time, Elton John, who has been an established superstar since his breakthrough in the 1970s, has recently gained fame among a younger audience by successfully teaming up with popular, young stars such as Dua Lipa, with their song Cold Heart reaching number one in the UK charts as well as number seven in the United States. Around the same time, the biopic Rocketman, in which Taron Egerton plays Elton John, showing John’s youth and his beginnings in the music industry, hit the cinemas. The movie was not only a commercial success but also won several awards, i.e. two Golden Globes for best actor in a comedy/ musical as well as best song.

The music industry in the United Kingdom

Overall, the music market in the United Kingdom is the biggest in Europe. The revenue generated through music streaming in the UK is estimated to have reached 1.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. Especially music streaming is increasingly popular, reaching a user penetration of 33.7 percent in the same year. The country has traditionally had a rich music scene with superstars and famous bands, ranging from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, or Oasis to current megastars such as Ed Sheeran or Harry Styles, emerging from the British Isles.