A record 24.7 million “music visitors” visited UK concerts and festivals last year, spending an unprecedented £11.2 billion, and much of that money landed in the coffers of small businesses far beyond the arena gates.
Figures from industry body UK Music show that attendances are expected to increase by 4.8 per cent by 2024, with total spending increasing by 11.3 per cent from £10 billion. The star turn was the Oasis reunion, the first shows for the Gallagher brothers in 15 years, alongside Coldplay, Beyoncé, Dua Lipa and Lana Del Rey.
For hoteliers, restaurateurs, taxi firms and private sellers, details matter. Of the £11.2 billion, £5.7 billion was spent directly by fans on tickets, food and drink, merchandising, travel and accommodation. Another £5.5 billion flows through the supply chain, from fencing and security contractors to restaurants that pack together gig weekends.
The county's numbers show how big travel can transform local businesses. Oasis' five-night run at Manchester's Heaton Park helped boost revenue for music tourists in the North West by 15.6 per cent to £1.4 billion. In London, where the band played seven days at Wembley, spending jumped by 27.4 per cent to £3.4 billion. This boost confirms previous predictions that the tour will bring £940 million to the UK economy, with around 60 per cent of fan spending in participating cities.
The overseas market is growing rapidly. International music visitors rose by 26.8 per cent to 2.1 million, up from 1.6 million in 2024, helped by several major artists playing UK-only dates in Europe last year. For local businesses, that means visitors stay longer and spend more per head than fans at home.
The sector now supports 74,000 equivalent jobs, and the building economy in its truest sense has become a reliable driver of high street commerce. Barclays data showed that Oasis concerts helped boost spending on UK cards last summer, with entertainment purchases reaching their busiest day of the year.
UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl said: “The billions spent are a huge boon to towns and cities across the UK and benefit hotels, restaurants, bars and transport companies and thousands of other businesses.”
Ian Murray, arts industry minister, said: “These record-breaking figures are testament to what the UK music industry does better than anywhere else in the world.
“That's why this government is committed to supporting the whole music scene in its upcoming music programme: protecting fans from ticket scams, supporting low-end venues and studios that are the backbone of our future talent, and working to improve opportunities for UK artists to tour Europe.”
The government has already gone further, announcing a ban on the resale of tickets above face value after the Oasis run pricing scandal, the most profitable series of gigs in British history.
However, the boom has spread unevenly. While stadiums are being sold out, grassroots venues are struggling to survive against rising energy costs, business rates and National Insurance costs, and 43 UK festivals have been cancelled, postponed or closed entirely by 2025. For small companies that depend on live music sales, a record year is welcome. Keeping the pipeline of future headliners alive can prove to be a tough gig.
