The global music industry continues its remarkable post-pandemic recovery, with a packed calendar of events scheduled throughout 2025 reflecting the sector’s robust growth. Industry data shows the U.S. concert and event promotion sector reaching $56 billion in 2024, with projections pointing to $62.7 billion by year’s end, while the broader events market is on track to exceed $638 billion by 2032.
The music industry’s astounding revival brings unprecedented growth, with billions in revenue reflecting our collective return to live experiences.
January kicks off with major gatherings including CES 2025 in Las Vegas (January 7-10), The BPM Festival in Costa Rica (January 8-12), and the Trust & Safety in Music Symposium in New York on January 9. These early-year events primarily focus on technology integration and the electronic music sector, establishing trends that will ripple throughout the industry calendar.
By spring, the schedule intensifies with Music Biz 2025 in Atlanta (May 12-15) and The Great Escape in Brighton, England (May 14-17). June brings the massive CMA Fest to Nashville (June 5-8) and the inaugural SXSW London (June 2-7), expanding the influential Texas-based conference’s global footprint. The Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival in Columbus, Ohio (May 8-11) demonstrates the continued strength of festival culture. Many artists are exploring sync deals for additional revenue streams, licensing their music for commercials and films showcased at these festivals.
September features genre-specific showcases including Americanafest in Nashville (September 9-13) and IBMA World of Bluegrass in Chattanooga (September 16-20). The month concludes with MUSIC MATTERS LIVE and ALL THAT MATTERS (September 26-28 and September 29-October 1, respectively). The calendar notably lacks prominent events for independent artists, highlighting the ongoing indie music struggles against mega-tours and larger commercial events. Organizers are increasingly offering buy now, pay later options for tickets exceeding $100, responding to the 56% of consumers who prefer this payment method.
Attendance trends signal strong industry health, with 53.1% of event organizers reporting increased attendance in 2025, up considerably from 43.8% in 2024. Live Nation‘s impressive figures – 151 million attendees across nearly 550,000 events – represent a 4% year-over-year increase. Meanwhile, Bandsintown reached 100 million registered fans in 2025. Many independent artists attending these events are utilizing playlist pitching techniques to increase their visibility on streaming platforms.
The robust calendar reflects broader industry growth, with global recorded music revenues increasing 4.8% to $29.6 billion in 2024. With 18 stadium tours completed in 2024 and similar or higher numbers predicted for 2025, plus innovations in live-streaming and virtual concert experiences, the industry continues evolving while maintaining its traditional gathering points.
