Streaming Trends in 2026: Insights from Luminate’s Midyear Report

In the first half of 2026, several trends in music, film, and TV streaming have emerged, as highlighted in Luminate’s 2026 Midyear Report. This report, released on Wednesday, outlines significant changes in streaming behaviors.

Music Streaming Growth

Music streaming continues to rise worldwide. Global on-demand audio streams have reached 2.8 trillion, a steady increase from 2.5 trillion in 2025. In the U.S., on-demand audio song streams have climbed to 732.7 billion, up from 696.6 billion the previous year.

R&B and Hip-Hop’s Shifting Landscape

R&B and hip-hop remain the most popular streaming genres in the U.S., making up nearly a quarter of audio streams. However, their dominance is waning. In early 2026, these genres accounted for 30% of U.S. album-equivalent consumption, a decline from 41% in 2023. This shift towards a multi-genre ecosystem is apparent, with an increase in the popularity of country and Latin music.

Despite this, R&B and hip-hop have still generated nearly 180.3 billion streams in the U.S., with genres like rock, pop, country, and Latin following. Jaime Marconette from Luminate notes that R&B/Hip-Hop’s influence is visible across various styles.

Rise of Latin and Country Music

Latin music’s popularity is evident, with Spanish-language streams constituting 9.4% of U.S. total streams. English-language consumption, although still dominant, has decreased to 87.1%. Casual Latin music listenership in the U.S. is at an all-time high, with 54% of music listeners engaging with the genre.

Globally, Latin music streams reached 363.2 billion in early 2026. In the U.S., albums by Morgan Wallen, Ella Langley, and Bad Bunny demonstrate the growing fanbase for both country and Latin music.

AI-Generated Music’s Emergence

A small number of AI-generated tracks are gaining traction. Chill77, Unjaps, and Mikeeysmind’s “Papaoutai (Afro Soul)” achieved 210.7 million streams internationally. In the U.S., The Second Voice’s “Let Me Be” and Breaking Rust’s “Livin’ on Borrowed Time” are notable mentions.

AI has begun altering music production workflows, although its long-term impact on consumption remains limited, according to Marconette.

Netflix’s Dominance in Film and TV Streaming

In the U.S., Netflix leads in original content streaming, accounting for 57% of viewing time. Prime Video, Hulu, and Paramount follow behind. Original TV series dominate, totaling 11.5 billion hours, with original films accounting for 2.8 billion hours.

The most-streamed original Netflix films in 2026 are “The Crash,” “The Rip,” and “Apex.” In original series, HBO Max’s “The Pitt” outperforms Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” and “Bridgerton.” Despite this original content success, library content is more commonly streamed, with 42.2 billion hours of library TV and 10.8 billion hours of library film.

Luminate’s data indicates nearly 19,000 library titles are accessible on major streaming platforms, compared to just 7,000 original titles.