By mid-2024, the live music industry was making more money than ever before, but rising ticket prices and flattening attendance growth pointed to a more uncertain future than record revenues suggested.
Finally: Reason for Cautious Optimism (After Dark Extended Reprise, incl. 'Ode To Hans')
Fortunately for the sector, the latest Q3 2024 numbers show signs of long-term stability after the rollercoaster pandemic years. However, the same affordability concerns remain.
Pollstar has updated its data for the top 100 global tours, reporting a solid performance for live music in Q3, with a recovery of mostly upward growth after a more mixed assessment midway through the year. From November 2023 to August 2024, the top 100 global tours have grossed a record $5.68 billion on 44.9 million tickets sold, up 14.1% and 2.6% respectively from the same period last year.
The average gross revenue of $1.87 million per tour was also a welcome improvement from last year’s third quarter ($1.75 million; up 6.8%), but the average number of tickets sold fell again for a quarter, from 15,365 tickets per concert in Q3 2023 to 14,766 tickets today (down 3.9%).
