Featured Image: Courtesy of Seat Unique
2025 will be a big year for live music, touring and “I was there” experiences, according to insight from Seat Unique…
January is traditionally the month when music superstars drop their tour announcements, and this year is no exception, with rumours of Rihanna and Eminem already doing the rounds. But, while there is no shortage of speculation swirling around the 2025 line-up, there will certainly be far fewer tickets than fans.
The ‘sold out’ arena has become the hallmark of the live music experience. For fans, the rush of snagging a stub is often clouded by the dread of the so-called virtual queue. An initial scramble is sometimes followed by a crawling wait and, thanks to the laws of supply and demand, often ends in disappointment.
2024 was another vintage year for the big live entertainment business. According to Live music Industry Venues and Entertainment (LIVE), consumers spent £6.1bn on live events last year, up 35% from pre-pandemic levels.
It makes sense, then, that an increasing number of venues are waking up to the rising demand for premium experiences and adjusting their offerings accordingly – something Seat Unique has seen firsthand through its partnerships.
And 2025 looks set to surpass even those numbers. Coldplay and Oasis are staging extended runs in multiple cities, while the likes of Dua Lipa and Lana Del Rey are selling out vast stadiums months in advance. Live Nation CFO Joe Berchtold said last autumn that artists are increasing their tour dates by 20% to 50%, a massive amount when you think of the logistical strain and pressure on venues.
Although inflation and economic uncertainty still dominate headlines, the appetite for these kinds of experiences is unrelenting. Barclays data shows that UK entertainment spending grew by double digit figures in late 2024, propelled by blockbuster tours, even as consumers tightened their belts on essential goods. Goldman Sachs recently raised its forecast for the global music market to reach $163bn by 2030, up from $99bn in 2024, “mainly driven by live music”.
Venues and organisers have their eyes wide open to this boom; it has prompted them to double down on premium ticketing as a cornerstone of their revenue streams. Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino recently described VIP ticketing as one of the fastest-growing areas of live entertainment, with premium inventory often selling out first.
A trend gathering momentum
Seat Unique, a platform helping fans access the very best live experiences, has also seen this trend gather momentum. Its platform recorded over eight million visits in 2024, with fans willing to spend nearly four times the average order value for access to premium and hospitality experiences.
From VIP lounges to exclusive behind the scenes access, fans are no longer satisfied with just a ticket; some want the plush lounges with panoramic views, and others are searching for an unforgettable “I was there” experience. Either way, they’re willing to splurge for it.
This partly reflects a post-pandemic desire to make up for lost time. Barclays research shows that “memories matter more” than material possessions to consumers, while Mastercard data recently revealed 80% believe spending on experiences is “usually, or always, worth it.”
At the same time, social media has amplified the global demand for live music. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram bridge the artist-to-fan gap and generate a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out), turning smaller markets into viable tour stops.
The globalisation of music, powered by streaming, has also allowed artists from anywhere in the world to cultivate global fanbases and reap the financial rewards of touring. It’s a lucrative proposition, and hardly surprising then that top artists now earn up to 95% of their income from tours, according to a Goldman Sachs report.
Venues and organisers have their eyes wide open to this boom; it has prompted them to double down on premium ticketing as a cornerstone of their revenue streams.
As live events grow in scale and number, so too does the demand for space. Cities are responding by upgrading existing facilities and building new ones. Last year, Manchester’s AO Arena finished a £50m facelift to compete with the new Co-op Live’s 23,500-capacity arena.
And many venues are converting into multipurpose entertainment hubs. Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium, for instance, smoothly switches from NFL games to P!NK concerts, while Premier League champions Manchester City is expanding the Etihad Stadium to host high-end concerts alongside sporting events.
It makes sense, then, that an increasing number of venues are waking up to the rising demand for premium experiences and adjusting their offerings accordingly – something Seat Unique has seen firsthand through its partnerships. Premier League side Fulham last year added a rooftop swimming pool with a swim-up bar to create an “unparalleled” matchday experience.
However, the ticketing industry is facing a lot of hostility. There are government and competition pressures piling on the industry both in the UK and across the Atlantic. The Labour Government has said it wants to cap the resale price of tickets at up to 30% above face value, restrict the number of tickets individual re-sellers can list, and hand the regulator the power to crack down on touts and exploitative platforms. In the US, similar debates are taking place.
By improving pricing transparency and taking the pain out of purchasing tickets, Seat Unique is trying to help fans access the experiences they want without the frustration of traditional resale markets, avoiding a ‘sold out’ situation – a win for everyone involved.
If the industry takes the lead in addressing ticketing challenges and prioritising fairness, it could create a sustainable model that balances fan satisfaction with revenue growth for venues, promoters and businesses, ultimately allowing more money to be reinvested into creating unbelievable fan experiences.
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