Summer Concerts Demand Surges

Uncertainty about the economy and the potential inflationary effects from tariffs haven’t completely dampened enthusiasm for live concerts this year.

According to Goldman Sachs Research, the global concert industry is set to have another record year in 2025 led by a robust slate of stadium tours across North America, Europe, and Latin America, even though overall sales results appear to be a mixed bag in the first half of the year. But there is a silver lining: For the first time in years, average ticket prices are finally falling.

Lower average ticket price seen in the first half of 2025

The worldwide top 100 tours total gross sales came in at $2.81 billion for the first half of 2025, which is 8.4% less than the same period last year, according to Pollstar, a trade publication covering live music and concerts.

Average revenue per show, however, has seen a whopping 24.9% increase to around $1.7 million for the first half of 2025 (compared to 2024’s nearly $1.4 million), according to Pollstar. This is also reflected in the ticket sales, where shows in the first half of 2025 averaged 14,229 tickets sold—a 32.1% spike from last year.

Even as revenue has increased, Goldman Sachs Research found from industry conversations that artists are focused on keeping the “get in” price affordable this year. Average ticket prices declined 5.5% to $120 in the first half of this year, compared to last year’s $127. That said, concertgoers still need to pay more to be at the “front of the house,” where prices trend higher.

Live concerts boosted by stadium attendance

In North America, live concerts held at stadiums have seen a boost in attendance, up 12% year to date through May, compared to the same period last year. Goldman Sachs Research expects this stadium activity to significantly grow in 2025 driven by a robust slate of announced tours.

Arena and amphitheater attendance, however, are both pacing down. Music residencies at certain venues have helped boost traffic for the weekend shows, but overall attendance is softening, likely due to reduced tourism.

Goldman Sachs Research is watching how next year’s World Cup, which will be hosted in North America, may impact the year’s slate of concerts held in stadiums.

Live entertainment market: 2025 off to a slow start?

Even though demand for live entertainment continues to be strong, the overall market has been slow in the first half of the year. The slow start is likely due to anticipation for the summer concerts to come, according to Goldman Sachs Research. The cumulative worldwide gross sales so far for the top 100 artists are lower than last year, and the number of reported live performances has decreased significantly by 26.7% during the first half of this year.

Pollstar believes that the live entertainment market may be in correction after the past six years of events from the pandemic collapse to the post-pandemic’s record-setting growth.

For perspective, however, the percentage drop in the number of tickets sold in 2025 is less than the drop in gross sales—the global ticket total of 23.36 million is just 3.1% lower than 2024’s 24.11 million.

Goldman Sachs Research is optimistic about the global live entertainment industry and believes this year will continue its record-setting momentum.