Norwegian live biz grows to four-year high

The value of the Norwegian music industry grew to a four-year high in 2015, with the live sector once again accounting for a majority of music revenue.

Total turnover increased 5% to 3.73 billion krone (kr) – roughly US$440 million – and live revenue 4%, to 1.93bn kr ($228.87m), on 2014, generated from ticket sales in Norway and artist fees from concerts outside Norway, reveals a new report by the Norwegian Arts Council (Kulturrådet). The figure is the highest since the council began compiling its Music in Numbers reports, in 2012.

Export income from concerts, however, fell 6% to 114 million kr ($13.7m), with a “fall in artist fees” blamed.

$228.87m was generated from ticket sales in, and artist fees outside, Norway

While the live industry increased its proportion of generated income – 52%, compared to 51% in 2014 – it was in 2015 outstripped in year-on-year growth by the recorded sector, which grew 9% to 884m kr ($104.4m), driven by the rise of on-demand streaming.

Using data supplied by Norwegian performance rights organisation Tono, Kulturrådet also found capital Oslo is, unsurprisingly, the city with the most live music licences (19%), while Sør-Trøndelag has the most licences in a single county.

At 3.73bn kr, Norway’s music industry was respectively 69% and 43% the size of more populous neighbours Denmark (5.42bn kr) and Sweden (8.77bn kr).

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