Live Nation Entertainment saw its revenue drop by 11% during the first quarter of this year, but president and chief executive Michael Rapino argues that 2025 is shaping up to be “a historic year for live music”.
Concert revenue fell from $2.88bn (£2.2bn/€2.5bn) to $2.48bn while Ticketmaster brought in $695m compared to $723m during the same period last year.
However, despite the fall in revenue, Live Nation celebrated a rise in profitability during the first quarter, with an operating income of $115m compared to $41m loss in Q1 2024. Adjusted operating income (AOI) amounted to $341m compared to $362.5m in 2024 Q1. Additionally, the concert promoter reported a fall in its long-term debt from $6.2bn in Q1 last year to $5.9bn.
Elsewhere, sponsorship and advertising revenue increased by 2% to reach $216m compared to $211m during the same period the year prior.
AOI for concerts amounted to $6.6m compared to a $1.8m loss during the same period last year, and ticketing’s AOI reached $253m in Q1 2025, down from $284m.
Live Nation’s 2025 global stadium pipeline is up 60% and 95 million tickets have been sold for concerts so far.
Roughly 10 million live music fans attended shows at Live Nation-operated venues during the first quarter of 2024.
“2025 is shaping up to be a historic year for live music, with a strong start having us on track to deliver double-digit growth in operating income and AOI this year,” said Rapino.
“As more artists tour the world, fan demand is reaching new heights across ticket sales, show attendance, and on-site spending.
“Ticket sales are pacing well ahead of last year, with deferred revenue for both concerts and ticketing at record levels. To support even more fans seeing their favourite artists, we’re continuing to expand our global venue network, adding 20 major venues through 2026.”
Rapino added: “As the global experience economy grows, the live music industry is leading the way, and we’re positioned to compound growth by double-digits over many years.”