More people than ever are going to gigs and festivals in the UK, with attendance up 12% year-on-year

More people than ever are going to live music shows, with attendance at gigs and festivals at an all-time high, a new report by UK Music has revealed.

The industry organisation have released figures that over 3 million extra people attended live music events in 2016, up from 27.7 in 2015 to 30.9 million. That's a 12% increase. 

In terms of how the extra footfall affects the UK economy, an additional £4 billion of revenue was brought into the industry - that's proceeds from ticketing, merchandise, hospitality and more.

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What's more, music tourism - when foreign music-goers visit the UK for concerts - was also on the increase, as some 823,000 people came to our shores for gigs from their favourite artists, each spending £850 on average.

"Live music in the UK is a tremendous success story and makes a massive contribution to our culture and general wellbeing, as well as our economy," explained the chief executive of UK Music, Michael Dugher. "It showcases our talent to the world and brings pleasure to millions every day."

The report also revealed that since 2011, the live music industry in the UK has seen a dramatic 76% rise in music tourists travelling to enjoy music events in the UK. 

However, the figures also revealed a 13% drop in the level of direct spending at smaller music venues (those with capacity of under 1,500) in 2016 and a 21% fall in the number of overseas visitors to smaller venues. 

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