Live music revenue in Ireland rose 23.5% in 2023

Ireland’s live music revenue reached €243m in 2023 – a 23.5% year-on-year rise – according to the PwC’s latest report on the country’s entertainment and media industry.

Live music contributed 69% of Ireland’s total music revenues of €354m in 2023, buoyed by shows by acts such as Bruce Springsteen, Harry Styles, The 1975, George Ezra, Depeche Mode, Blur, Pet Shop Boys, Arctic Monkeys, Florence + The Machine and Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy, who sold 155,000 tickets in his home market last year.

The sector is expected to grow at 2.8% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) to €279 million in 2028, compared with 2.5% globally.

“The Irish entertainment & media industry is set for robust growth to 2028,” says Amy Ball, partner, PwC Ireland Entertainment & Media Practice. “The industry in Ireland is showing great success and opportunity on the global stage.”

The PwC says the report underscores the importance of in-person experiences such as live music and cinema, highlighting them as “crucial growth” industries, with music ticket sales and movie box office representing 38.6% of the net increase in consumer spending worldwide.

Live music revenues rose globally by 26% in 2023 – accounting for more than half of the overall music market

Last month, it revealed that live music revenues rose globally by 26% in 2023 – accounting for more than half of the overall music market – skewed towards large events such as the tours by Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Coldplay and Elton John.

And the Irish market could be set for another upturn. Speaking earlier this year, Denis Desmond, co-founder of Ireland’s biggest promoter MCD Productions, said the firm was expected to sell three million tickets in 2024 – 50% more than last year –  boosted by “new opportunities” in Limerick and Cork.

MCD’s highlights from this summer have included three shows by Taylor Swift at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium in June, with a sold-out four-night run by Coldplay at Croke Park set to begin tonight (29 August).

The firm, which is promoting Oasis’ reunion shows at Croke Park next August, also sold 120,000 tickets for nine concerts at Virgin Media Park (15,000-cap) in Cork in June, featuring the likes of Becky Hill, Sting, Take That, Shania Twain and the Wolf Tones.

It also hosted Snow Patrol, Paolo Nutini and Liam Gallagher in three 30,000-cap live events over one weekend at Thomond Park in Limerick, selling more than 75,000 tickets.

An in-depth report on the Irish market will feature in the next edition of IQ.

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