x

The latest industry news to your inbox.


I'd like to hear about marketing opportunities

    

I accept IQ Magazine's Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Publication

Country Profile: Azerbaijan

The world’s leading promoters & the 70+ top markets they operate in.
Click the interactive map below to explore these global markets.

The live music market in this central Asian territory has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, particularly around the capital, Baku.

iTicket Production is the promoter arm of the country’s top ticketer, iTicket. Formed in 2018, it has organised shows by the likes of Will Smith, J Balvin, Black Coffee, and Imagine Dragons. The Baku-headquartered firm works in countries across the region and nearby, such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Türkiye.

“Azerbaijani people love going to concerts; it’s an important part of their social life,” says iTicket Production CEO Ugur Aydin. “And they particularly like to share their experiences on social media, so the hottest mainstream acts are in particularly high demand here.

“Azerbaijani people love going to concerts; it’s an important part of their social life”

“Yet, while locals love seeing big acts, it can be a challenge to persuade the talent to route through Central Asia, as it’s not long been a traditional stop,” says Aydin. But this is changing, not least because Baku is now a stop on the Formula One circuit, increasing its visibility around the world.

And he says his company is working hard to raise awareness among the wider international industry of the viability of the market. “Some artist agents aren’t very familiar with Azerbaijan, but we are changing that, and we find they are very pleased to see an established company working with top-level acts. I think we will increasingly see Baku on world tour routes in the near future.”

“Some artist agents aren’t very familiar with Azerbaijan, but we are changing that”

When it comes to breaking new acts in this region, Aydin says acts should be prepared to adapt their fees according to each territory’s purchasing power. That said, people will travel across borders to see their favourite artists, and there’s regular music tourism for the right acts.

Other promoters in the market working with international talent tend to be associated with the music venues or festivals, such as the longstanding Baku Jazz Festival, which celebrated its 19th year in 2024.

Our other publications