Adapted by:
John Tones
WriterI've been writing about culture for twenty-something years and, at Xataka, I cover everything related to movies, video games, TV shows, comics, and pop culture.
Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
Despite Joker: Folie à Deux’s box office flop, Lady Gaga’s musical career is still intact. She broke an astonishing world record on Saturday night after 2.5 million people gathered in Brazil for her live performance. This marks the largest audience ever for a female singer and surpasses the previous record held by Madonna, which was 1.6 million.
Abracadabra. Lady Gaga performed on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro and expressed her gratitude to the audience during the record-breaking concert. In the days leading up to the event, enthusiasm for the artist had swept Brazil. She hadn’t performed in the country for 12 years. She revisited her greatest hits during the show, including her latest album, Mayhem.
After headlining Coachella and performing in Brazil, Lady Gaga is heading to Singapore to further promote her album. The world tour will begin in July.
Large-scale concerts. This phenomenon is becoming increasingly commonplace in the music industry. These massive events, akin to blockbuster movies, draw media attention and resources that only the biggest artists can access. Their profitability is unquestionable. In North America, total concert grosses for the top 100 tours increased by 8.78% in 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching $6.2 billion.
Live music industry. According to Pollstar, the top 100 tours generated a combined revenue of $9.5 billion worldwide. Given that the global music industry had a total turnover of $29.6 billion in 2024, large-scale concerts are clearly key for the industry, accounting for nearly a third of the total. This global trend explains the industry’s strong interest in supporting major events despite their high costs.
The rise of large-scale concerts. Large-scale festivals and concerts have become a dominating phenomenon within the music industry, operating independently of traditional industry trends. This shift has significantly impacted smaller concerts and more modest music events.
Money doesn’t always indicate growth. Interestingly, despite improving figures, not all growth equates to industry prosperity. According to Pollstar’s 2024 numbers, concert revenues rose compared to 2023, and the number of shows also increased, suggesting an expanding industry. However, this growth isn’t uniform. The average gross revenue per show fell by 2%, and the average number of tickets sold per show decreased by 5.68%. This reflects a sharp increase in ticket prices over the year.
The artist’s struggle. Artists are often disadvantaged, particularly those in medium-sized groups with international reach. British artist Kate Nash shared that after a tour in medium-sized venues, she could lose $67,000. Recently, Welsh band Los Campesinos! revealed that despite their success, the financial breakdown of touring outside its country was unsustainable. Other popular bands are used to packing venues, yet still struggle to make a living from their music.
These examples illustrate a concerning trend that might not be reversible. The rise of large-scale concerts threatens the existence of the smaller music scene. The issue isn’t just about audience numbers or industry revenue. It’s crucial for the future of music that people continue to support the smaller groups who create new songs and drive the sector’s evolution beyond mere spectacle.
Image | TJ Sengel
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