Fans love Aussie acts but spend on gigs by global stars
Liz Hobday |
Music fans are keen to see gigs by Australian artists but when it comes to spending, they’ll “break the bank” on tickets to global tours by the likes of Coldplay and Taylor Swift.
Research by Music Australia released on Tuesday shows fans prioritise scoring tickets to rare international acts, because they perceive these concerts as once-in-a-lifetime.
“… there appears to be a disconnect between the supportive attitudes Australians hold towards emerging local music, and actual attendance behaviour of some people,” the report said.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was a prime example of the kind of concert that gave music fans a bad case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), while others interviewed for the research mentioned shows by Paul McCartney and Travis Scott.
“… I’ve realised the abundance of Australian artists. And then if an international artist comes … they probably won’t be back here for another 20 years,” said one 17-year-old who participated in the research.
Almost three quarters of music fans (72 per cent) saved money to attend a major live music event over the past year, the report found.
Lady Gaga’s upcoming Mayhem Ball tour is the latest example of the kind of event fans are saving for amid a cost-of-living crisis. The artist has not visited Australia in more than a decade, and tickets range from about $200 for standing areas, to more than $1500.
“People are interested and want to hear more Australian music. But really when push comes to shove, they are favouring those internationals,” said Music Australia director Millie Millgate.
People also feel gigs by Australian artists are not “put in front of them” as much as global acts, and are harder to find out about, she said.
Overall attendance at live music events is actually increasing according to the report. But major venues are the most popular locations, while audiences are declining at pubs and clubs.
The research titled Listening In: Insights on live music attendance, is the latest in a string of reports and inquiries into the struggling live music ecosystem, which has seen numerous festivals cancelled and smaller live venues closing down.
It also found young Australians are spending more on entertainment and leisure in 2024 than they were in 2019, despite feeling less financially secure.
Most Australians (62 per cent) say music is really important to them, and two-thirds would like to listen to more Australian music.
Almost half have been to at least one live event in the past year, and about the same number would like to see more gigs by Australian artists.
Music fans are also spending less on alcohol, a challenge for many venues that have based their business model on bar take.
While almost all music fans drink alcohol at gigs, more than half also consume it beforehand to save money, the report found.
“We have a pub culture that was created around the consumption of alcohol in many ways, and that decline is definitely affecting the ability for pubs to present live music,” Millgate said.
The research was based on nationally representative data samples as well as surveys and focus groups, and was produced by government funding body Music Australia with Untitled Group, The Daily Aus, and youth music organisation The Push.
AAP
