Julia Stoll
Research expert covering TV and video media
Live music in the United States - statistics & facts
In an industry that has been booming in recent years, Taylor Swift managed to push music tour revenues into new spheres. Not only have her concerts made the headlines for making the earth shake in the cities where the singer appeared on stage, but her Eras Tour has also sent shockwaves through the live music industry in the United States and worldwide during 2023 and 2024, by outperforming every music tour that had come before in terms of revenue. However, not all is well in the live music industry, and it faces several challenges on different ends, as fans lament rising ticket prices and operators face lawsuits over ticket practices.
Also, the key players in the live entertainment industry must be wary of monopoly charges. For instance, international live event operator Live Nation Entertainment more than doubled its revenue within these past five years. However, the company did not only make positive headlines in the past. A lawsuit, initiated by the U.S. government in 2024, for antitrust violations and for abusing its dominant position in the music market is still ongoing against the operator.
Live music events remain an important pastime for many consumers in the United States, even in economically difficult times. However, if ticket prices continue to rise, this enthusiasm within the broader public might crumble and concerts might turn into a luxury good that fewer and fewer people can afford.
Growing ticket prices and lawsuits looming on the horizon
Live music industry in the U.S. is facing a few distinct challenges today. One of them is ticket pricing models. On one hand, Taylor Swift’s global tour in 2023 had uncovered regional discrepancies in pricing. These differences were so significant that, for Americans, Taylor Swift’s concerts in Europe became potentially more affordable than the events at home. On the other hand, admissions have generally become more expensive, as consumer expenses on this type of entertainment increased by at least 22 percent. In an economic climate that is marked by insecurity and inflation, ticket prices are indeed the leading reason for live music fans to attend fewer events.Also, the key players in the live entertainment industry must be wary of monopoly charges. For instance, international live event operator Live Nation Entertainment more than doubled its revenue within these past five years. However, the company did not only make positive headlines in the past. A lawsuit, initiated by the U.S. government in 2024, for antitrust violations and for abusing its dominant position in the music market is still ongoing against the operator.
Performers making it big on a live scene
Having experienced a steady decline since the turn of the century, the global revenue of the music industry has had a resurgence in the past decade, surpassing 29 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. The revenue from live music tours reached nearly 10 billion U.S. dollars – a new record. The names pushing this trend forward come from North America. Taylor Swift Era’s Tour became the highest-grossing music tour In North America ever recorded, and the first one to surpass the two billion revenue threshold globally in 2024. Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican star, did not break that mark, but his tour was the highest grossing in 2022 in the region.Live music events remain an important pastime for many consumers in the United States, even in economically difficult times. However, if ticket prices continue to rise, this enthusiasm within the broader public might crumble and concerts might turn into a luxury good that fewer and fewer people can afford.
