UKMusic.org
The UK’s live music industry reached new heights in 2025, with record-breaking attendance and spending fueled by tours from artists including Oasis, Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Lana Del Rey and Kendrick Lamar.
New figures released by UK Music show that 24.7 million music tourists traveled to concerts and festivals across the country last year, marking a 4.8% increase from 2024 and setting a new all-time high. Their combined spending reached £11.2 billion, up 11.3% year over year, underscoring live music’s growing impact on the UK’s economy.
The biggest jump came from international visitors. More than 2.1 million overseas fans traveled to the UK for live music events in 2025, a 26.8% increase compared with the previous year. Many were drawn by exclusive European performances, including Oasis’ long-awaited reunion tour alongside stadium dates from Coldplay and Lana Del Rey.
Domestic tourism also continued to grow, with 22.6 million UK residents traveling beyond their local regions to attend concerts and festivals.
Oasis’ sold-out Live ’25 Tour proved to be one of the year’s biggest economic drivers. A string of performances at Manchester’s Heaton Park, London’s Wembley Stadium and Cardiff’s Principality Stadium helped generate significant regional spending, with music tourism revenue climbing 15.6% in the North West and 27.4% in London.
Major festivals, including Glastonbury, Download, Reading, Boomtown and Wireless, also contributed to the record year, while performances from artists such as The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo, Neil Young, Charli xcx, Ed Sheeran, Blackpink, Stray Kids and Sam Fender boosted local economies across the country.
According to UK Music, music tourism supported approximately 74,000 full-time equivalent jobs in 2025, reflecting continued growth across the live events supply chain. Direct spending by concertgoers, including tickets, accommodation, food and transportation, accounted for £5.7 billion, while an additional £5.5 billion was generated indirectly through businesses supporting live events.
Despite the record-breaking figures, UK Music warned that rising touring costs, post-Brexit barriers to European touring and the continued closure of grassroots venues and festivals remain significant challenges. The organization is urging policymakers to address ticket touting, strengthen support for smaller venues and simplify touring across Europe to help sustain the industry’s long-term growth.
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