UK Music Concerts and Festivals Market Report 2025
2025-07-14T08:02:33+00:00
REPD98DB221_CCDF_425A_9439_B22E1F7A09DC
2195
184596
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Report
en_GB
Whereas overall attendance has grown in the 12 months to May 2025, concert goers are attending slightly fewer gigs on average. Ticket price inflation is starting to bite, leading to…
UK
Leisure and Entertainment
simple
UK Music Concerts and Festivals Market Report 2025
"Support for grassroots and diversification of the live music experience will help sustain the market's long-term future."
The live music industry in the UK continues to achieve record-breaking revenues, with significant potential for organic growth. While major stadium tours and festivals drive record revenues, grassroots venues and mid-tier artists face existential threats.
Live music attendance has grown in the 12 months to May 2025, but UK concert goers are attending slightly fewer gigs on average.
Ticket price inflation is starting to bite, leading to an overall cooling of demand, as consumers are prioritising fewer, more-expensive gigs.
Affordable entry-level tickets for grassroots venues, an emphasis on supporting local music, and integrating music into diverse experiences, such as events combining music and food, can help attract new audiences beyond traditional live music fans.
Key Topics Analysed in the Report
How the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is reshaping consumer behaviour and influencing demand for live music experiences
An in-depth analysis of the UK live music market, including revenue forecasts, and a detailed exploration of the long-term trends, including grassroots challenges and ticket price inflation
Identifying strategic opportunities for brands to connect and deepen their engagement with audiences in the dynamic live music industry
Exploring consumer attitudes towards live music in the UK, including dynamic pricing and the ticket buying process
Identifying the premium features that consumers value most and are willing to pay extra for at concerts or festivals
Report Attributes
Details
Published Date
July 2025
Report Author
Joe Birch, Senior Technology and Leisure Analyst
Market Data Range
2018-2030
Measurement Metrics
Revenue in £
Country Focus
United Kingdom (UK)
Consumer Data
2,000 internet users aged 16+, May 2025
Number of Pages
81
Key Players in the UK Live Music Industry
LN-Gaiety Holdings, Live Nation (Music) Ltd, S.J.M. Concerts, AEG Presents, Kilimanjaro Holdings, Festival Republic, DHP Family
Collapse All
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Opportunities for live music concerts and festivals
Drive music into new frontiers with a focus on localism, safety and tailored experiences
Tap in grassroots’ ability to provide priceless, once in a lifetime moments
Promote venues as multipurpose spaces
Technology can take the pain out of the ticketing and create fairer distribution
Market dynamics and outlook
Market size and forecast
Revenue is projected to remain steady over the next two years
Graph 1: [no title]
Market predictions for music concerts and festivals
Ticketing becomes the focus of regulators
Live music appetite undimmed despite soaring ticket prices
Graph 2: participation in music concerts and festivals, 2016-25
Rising costs impact the grassroots ecosystem for artists and venues
Wave of cancellations in UK festival scene gathers pace in 2025
What consumers want and why
Overall concert attendance is up, but consumers are prioritising fewer, more-expensive gigs
Graph 3: paid attendance at in-person music concerts in the past 12 months, 2022-25
Small to medium size venues are key ways to experience concerts
Graph 4: types of music venue visited, last 12 months, 2025
Overall festival attendance increases, but more can be done to target the drop off of older audiences
Graph 5: paid attendance at in-person music festivals in the past 12 months, 2023-25
Use technology to create valuable shortcuts and reduce frustration
Graph 6: attitudes towards music concerts and festivals, 2025
Deliver VIP experiences that let consumers feel like insiders
Graph 7: premium features consumers would be willing to pay more for at nusci festivals and concerts, 2025
Expand your audience by offering diverse live music formats
Graph 8: interest in live music concepts, 2025
Tap into young people’s music and gaming interest
Innovation and marketing
Sustainability, localism and diversity shape festival experience
New initiatives strive to create a safer, more-inclusive experience for solo gig-goers
Hybrid programmes, novel spaces and technology push live music experience
MARKET DYNAMICS
Market size
Market value climbed in 2024
Graph 9: estimated total market value of music concerts and festivals, 2018-24
Mega shows boost market value
Established festivals make hay while the sun shines
Market forecast
Revenues are expected to remain stable in the next two years
Graph 10: [no title]
Mega tours account for a huge proportion of revenue and will sustain the market’s value
Ticket price increases, and music tourism will drive revenues
UK festival sector is experiencing its most challenging period since the pandemic
Significant threats at grassroots levels
For grassroots to mid-size, the next two years is critical but it can pave the way for a bright future
Key players
Live Nation dominates live music promotion
Live Nation exerts significant influence over the UK’s live music landscape
Regulatory background
DCMS launches consultation on the resale of live tickets
CMA launches ticketmaster investigation
Culture Media and Sport Select Committee aims to protect small venues
Market drivers
Despite improvement in consumer finances, consumers are still cautious
Graph 11: index of financial sentiment in the next year, 2016-25
Appetite for live music remains strong
Graph 12: participation in music concerts and festivals, 2016-25
Demand for major stadium shows from the 90s showcases nostalgia’s bankable appeal…
…however, ticket price spiking is becoming headline news
There are signs demand may be peaking, with cost pressures starting to bite
Grassroots network has suffered considerable losses in the past 10 years
Cost pressures for touring acts further impacting the small to medium size sector
Wave of cancellations in UK festival scene gathers pace in 2025
Music tourism and VIP packages drive live music market
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
Music concert participation
Concert attendance continues to grow
Graph 13: paid attendance at in-person music concerts in the past 12 months, 2022-25
Gig-going driven by younger age groups
Average concert frequency shows a decline
Graph 14: number of in-person music concerts attended in the past 12 months, 2023-25
Attending concerts frequently remains a relatively niche activity for most generations
Graph 15: number of in-person music concerts attended in the past 12 months, by generation 2025
Music venue visiting
Small to medium size venues are key ways to experience concerts
Graph 16: types of music venue visited, last 12 months, 2025
The heart of musical experience continues to beat strongest in smaller, more intimate venues
Frequent attendees embrace all venue types with the highest engagement across the board
Concert going is spread across the ecosystem regardless of how often consumers attend
Those with financial struggles are most likely priced out of live music
Smaller venues need to tap into their legend creating capabilities
Music festival participation
Festival attendance goes from strength to strength
Graph 17: paid attendance at in-person music festivals in the past 12 months, 2023-25
Encourage older women to ‘do it in style’
Graph 18: paid attendance at in-person music festivals in the past 12 months, by age and gender, 2025
Encourage older generations to trade up their formative festival experiences
Threads users most likely have been to a music festival in the past 12 months
Could ‘Heavy Metal Live Aid’ usher in a new era of hyper scarce festival bills and concerts
Attitudes towards music festivals and concerts
Reduce friction points in the ticket buying process
Graph 19: attitudes towards the ticket buying process for music concerts and festivals, 2025
Make dynamic pricing more appealing by showing it can work both ways
Use automation to simplify the ticket buying process
Increase participation through localism
Graph 20: attitudes towards attending music concerts and festivals, 2025
Smaller satellite festivals can be a testing ground for new concepts
The majority think solo gig going is acceptable, now focus on making it the norm
Consumers approve of grassroots support
Graph 21: attitudes towards music concerts and festivals, 2025
Nourishing the roots: strategies for supporting the ecosystem
Hologram festivals could help preserve legacy and provide novel live experiences
Graph 22: attitudes towards technology in music concerts and festivals, 2025
Premiumisation opportunities for music concerts and festivals
Unlock experiences to give consumers a slice of the VIP action
Graph 23: premium features consumers would be willing to pay more for at nusci festivals and concerts, 2025
Younger women show greater interest in premium concert and festival experiences
VVIP can further push the wow factor of major shows
Cheers to that
Be tasteful in your presentation of VIP options
Value drivers for live music and festivals
Tap into diverse programmes to bring more consumers into the live music fold
Graph 24: features consumers would like to see at music festivals and concerts, by concerts been to in previous 12 months (NET), 2025
Increase habitual concert going with loyalty discounts at venues
Younger generations are most open to a diverse range of events
Novel spaces can provide an antidote to high-end live music experiences
Promote safe inclusive spaces to appeal to younger women in music settings
INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
Launch activity and innovation
Established festivals go from strength to strength
Sustainability and localism in festivals
Resilient festivals continue to appeal to niche musical tastes
Live music is one point of tightly integrated, multi-platform content strategy for artists
Major cities get in on the arena action
New arts festivals blend genres with diverse programmes
Polygon pushes the boundaries of immersive festival experience
Initiatives aim to make the solo gig going experience more inclusive and safer
Music pushes into new and novel spaces
Food, racing and gaming offer hybrid events to broaden live music’s appeal
Metal titans convene for Black Sabbath’s final gig
Blockchain-verified tickets can deter scalpers
Elvis has entered the building
Music streaming services will play a greater role in live music curation and integration
APPENDIX
Market forecast data and methodology
Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
Forecast methodology
Report scope and definitions
Market definition
Abbreviations and terms
Consumer research
Snoop SpendMapper methodology
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