In Partnership with Eventbrite
If you’d told me five years ago that Jennifer Lopez – one of the world’s highest grossing female artists – would struggle to sell tour tickets, I wouldn’t have believed you. For the big names in music, sold out shows are assumed. At least, they used to be.
In 2024, however, the music industry is experiencing a shift. Big names like J.Lo, The Black Keys, and Megan Thee Stallion are cancelling or scaling back their tours, and ticket sales for major festivals like Coachella are slower than usual.
Why? Fans are craving something different.
According to Eventbrite, younger audiences in particular are turning away from impersonal, large-scale events in favour of unique, intimate experiences that feel more authentic. The highly polished, impersonal nature of massive tours is leaving them unfulfilled.
Of course, there are exceptions, like the huge fanbases willing to fork out their savings and be one of thousands singing along to Taylor Swift or Billie Eilish. But as a whole, people are becoming less willing to stomach the high cost of attending these kinds of shows. As a result, music fans are increasingly seeking smaller, more intimate, and affordable gigs.
This trend is contributing to a reshaping of the music landscape, and Eventbrite is at the forefront of this evolution. In 2023 alone, music became the platform’s top-attended category globally, with over five million searches. Tickets for these events averaged around $56 AUD, making them accessible to a broader audience.
It’s great news for independent artists, venues, and promoters. Globally, Eventbrite supported five million events in 180 countries last year, helping 850,000 creators issue 300 million tickets.
In fact, the platform has always been known for supporting the “little guy.” Unlike giants like Ticketek or Ticketmaster, Eventbrite proudly serves the middle of the events industry, where artists and fans can connect in more intimate spaces.
However, as more and more people gravitate towards niche artists, competition between independents increases. With a physical presence in Australia, including a dedicated team on the ground in Melbourne, Eventbrite understands the unique challenges and empowers music creators with affordable and efficient tools to stand out from the competition.
Things like 24/7 self-service ticketing and event management tools, sponsored listings on top spots across Eventbrite, automated social ad campaigns, and audience engagement tools make it easier than ever for creators to connect with fans and fill their venues. On July 16th, they also launched a TikTok integration, which allows users to discover and book tickets for events with a tap of a button while they’re scrolling through TikTok.
Most importantly, with this support, touring musicians, small venues and independent concert promoters can worry less about running social media campaigns, and focus on what they do best – creating, performing and hosting music.
Here’s to more people getting out there and seeing more live music.
For more info on how Eventbrite can help you grow your music events, visit Eventbrite’s website.