Spanish ticket sales revenue soars 26%

Spain’s Association of Music Promoters (APM) has revealed the domestic live music sector generated more than €578 million in 2023 – the highest figure ever recorded.

Ticket sales revenue was up 26% compared to existing record of €459m, set in the previous year, thanks to successful tours by artists from at home and abroad.

In the foreword of the newly published Live Music Yearbook 2024, APM president Albert Salmeron applauds an “exceptional moment” for the business, while stressing the importance of safeguarding the country’s emerging music scene.

“In the artistic field, we can affirm that it’s been a great year,” he says. “We have enjoyed more stadium concerts than ever in our history; we have an ecosystem of festivals that is increasingly broader and diverse, and we have emerging talent that assures us a promising future.

“We also have a fabric of small and medium rooms necessary for the development of that talent that must be protected. Every time a city closes a room, we stay without a unique and irreplaceable space.”

The best-selling tours by Spanish artists were Manuel Carrasco (promoted by Riff Producciones) with 365,652 tickets sold for 28 dates, Melendi (Riff Producciones), who sold 308,258 tickets for 37 concerts and Joaquín Sabina (The Project, Get In, Riff, Camerino Triangular AIE, in collaboration with Berry Producciones) with 253,809 tickets sold across 31 shows.

“There has been an enormous offering of concerts and tours by national artists throughout the territory”

The top 3 international tours, meanwhile, were Coldplay (Live Nation) with 221,140 tickets sold for their four consecutive shows in Barcelona, Harry Styles (Live Nation) with 120,534 tickets sold for two concerts, and Bruce Springsteen (Doctor Music) with 115,850 tickets sold, also for two nights.

“The long-awaited performances by countless artists for their audience and the consolidation of Spain as an essential stop for major international tours have made headlines, especially in the second half of 2023,” reads a press release.

“Additionally, the vibrant health of Spanish music has also been a protagonist. As evidence of this, there has been an enormous offering of concerts and tours by national artists throughout the territory, with the audience response matching expectations.”

In the festival sector, the top 3 comprised Arenal Sound Festival (Burriana, The Music Republic) with 300,000 attendees, Primavera Sound Barcelona (Barcelona, Primavera Sound) with 243,000, and Viña Rock (Villarrobledo, The Music Republic) with 240,000.

In terms of provinces, Barcelona (Catalonia) took top spot with revenues of €132.5m – a huge 70% uptick on 2022. Madrid (Community of Madrid) came in second with €94.6m (down 8.9%), followed by Málaga (Andalusia) in third with €24.5m, an increase of 72% on the previous year.

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