Country music again takes centre stage in the UK this weekend with the return of Country to Country (C2C), as the genre’s remarkable international growth shows no sign of plateauing.

Lainey Wilson, Dierks Bentley and Cody Johnson headline the 2025 edition of Europe’s biggest country festival, which returns to London’s The O2, OVO Hydro Glasgow and Belfast’s SSE Arena from 14-16 March.

Created by AEG Europe and SJM Presents in collaboration with the Country Music Association (CMA), the event launched in London in 2013 and has expanded to other markets including Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Germany and Australia.

“It’s such an incredible brand and is the market leader,” The O2’s GM and VP Steve Sayer tells IQ. “Each year the programming gets bigger and better and it’s one of our favourite events of the year. The bill is as big as it’s ever been and as in previous years, you’re going to see programming right across the O2 site.

“From our perspective, we’ve seen country music really take off in the UK in the last few years, in no small part, because of the success of C2C. It’s an important genre in our programming strategy and country music is only going to grow over the coming years.”

“Brands are completely ingrained in what we do. The artists are as engaged as the fans are”

The CMA hosted a presentation at The O2 today (14 March) entitled Brand Power of Country Music in the UK, which explored the rise in country consumption and the consumer loyalty of country music fans. The panel was attended by leading UK and US promoters, agencies, record labels and management companies.

It noted that in 2024, country streams surpassed 1 billion for first time in the UK in Q3, while five of the top 15 tracks of last year were country songs. Since Q4 2022, country music streams in the UK have grown 159%.

UTA agent Sean Hendrie spoke about opening mindsets of brands to country and it being “an untapped genre” which has now gone mainstream, with brands involved in country space now including Urban Outfitters, Victoria’s Secret, Primark, Louis Vuitton, Shein and Levi’s.

“Brands are completely ingrained in what we do,” added AEG Presents UK promoter and C2C booker Rachel Lloyd. “The artists are as engaged as the fans are.”

Furthermore, the audience for Bauer’s Absolute Country Radio was up 50% year on year, while Global’s Smooth Country reported a 650% rise in female listeners aged 15-24.

“C2C has laid a lot of the foundations for what we’re now doing at Hyde Park”

Almost 30 country acts will visit the UK for headline tours in 2025, including Brothers Osborne, Kip Moore, HARDY, Alana Springsteen, Darius Rucker, Kane Brown, Old Dominion, Dasha, Tyler Childers and Brett Young, as well as Post Malone and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour.

In addition, there are now more than a dozen country festivals on the UK calendar such as Highways, Red Rooster, The Long Road, Towerfest and Maverick. Meanwhile, Morgan Wallen became the first country headliner of AEG’s BST Hyde Park last week.

“C2C has laid a lot of the foundations for what we’re now doing at Hyde Park,” said AEG’s European festivals’ chief Jim King.

Following Wallen’s success, fellow country star Zach Bryan has gone on to sell 130,000 tickets for his two nights at the London concert series this summer.

“It’s tremendous to be a part of that, and a part of the country music journey in the park,” added King, who said he expected country to become even more ingrained at BST in 2016.

“It’s not just about the programming,” stressed King, “we’re fully committed to this genre, not just at BST but at other events we’ll be running in the future.”

“Year after year, the passion grows, the audiences get bigger and the atmosphere more unforgettable”

Last weekend saw AEG and Semmel Concerts stage the German edition of C2C, attracting 9,000 fans to Uber Eats Music Hall in Berlin from 7-9 March.

The site-wide festival featured 51 international artists, including the likes of Dylan Gossett, Dasha, Lainey Wilson, Tucker Wetmore, Chase Matthew, Tanner Adell, Nate Smith, Shaboozey, Chayce Beckham and Avery Anna, attracting coverage in several media media outlets for the first time.

“The impressive growth of the country genre in Germany was more than evident at the festival in Berlin,” says Semmel’s Sina Hall. “The enthusiasm of the fans shows how much country music has now arrived in the mainstream – and with growing momentum.

“Year after year, the passion grows, the audiences get bigger and the atmosphere more unforgettable. This festival has proven once again that country is not just a niche in Germany, but a movement that is constantly growing.”

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Events veteran Darren Moore has rejoined the UK’s Bradford Live as venue director under new operator Trafalgar Entertainment.

Trafalgar recently took over the 3,800-cap project, which had been in limbo since NEC Group pulled out of the project last September and expects to make its first programming announcement in the coming weeks.

Moore, who previously served at Bonus Arena Hull, York Barbican and First Direct Arena Leeds, was previously appointed general manager of Bradford Live in July 2023, but left his position in February last year. He describes his appointment as venue director as an “amazing privilege”.

“It is truly a unique venue in the north that we will be relaunching later this year, and it has had a rich history of entertaining the city,” says Moore. “I am excited to bring the venue back to operation following an extensive refurbishment programme to transform it into one of the best venues in the UK.

“We will now start to build the team to ensure we provide a guest and client experience that befits such a prestigious building and add to the already fantastic cultural landscape that Bradford has to offer.”

The former Odeon Cinema was originally built in 1930s and has now been fully restored with a £50 million (€59m) investment following a period of dereliction.

“I am delighted that Darren has joined the Trafalgar family,” says Frazer Hoyle, regional director for Trafalgar Venues. “Not only does he bring a wealth of industry knowledge and experience but also a real passion for Bradford Live and I know once we are open, he will be focused on making sure that every visitor will have a world class experience.”

“With Gijsen, we are bringing a highly experienced festival specialist and cultural entrepreneur into the company”

Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, FKP Scorpio-backed promoter Friendly Fire has installed Johan Gijsen as interim head of festivals & outdoor productions.

Gijsen started out as a programmer for Utrecht’s Tivoli venue, prior to launching the city’s Le Guess Who? festival. Gijsen also worked across Into The Great Wide Open and Grasnapolsky festivals, in addition to holding positions at various cultural organisations, including Tivoli’s 013.

“I have been following Friendly Fire with great admiration since their foundation in 2009 and am therefore extremely excited to be part of them now,” says Gijsen.

With Gijsen on board, Friendly Fire is targeting further expansion of its festival portfolio, which includes Best Kept Secret, Hit the City, Ginger Festival, Loose Ends and Live at Amsterdam Forest.

“With Gijsen, we are bringing a highly experienced festival specialist and cultural entrepreneur into the company, with an extraordinary amount of knowledge and expertise in the field of events and managing organisations,” says Friendly Fire director Robert Swarts. “We are very much looking forward to working with him to further grow our existing activities and also to realise new, inspiring events.”

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Independent music company ATC Group has announced the acquisition of two UK music venues, Brighton-based Concorde 2 and Volks.

Via its Joy Entertainment Group subsidiary, the firm has increased its ownership of 600-cap live music venue Concorde 2 to 80% and secured full ownership of JTR Productions for a total of £2.49 million (€2.97m). JTR provides bar and associated services for festivals including Brighton’s On the Beach (cap. 80,000) and Pride in the Park as part of Brighton Pride Festival (50,000).

Separately, Joy has acquired 60% of 300-cap late-night venue Volks for £400,000. ATC snapped up a 60% stake in Joy in February 2024, through which it gained an initial minority interest in Concorde 2.

“The increased ownership of Concorde 2, together with Volks, means that the group’s foothold in the live venue and festival space is now further strengthened, and will enable ATC to leverage industry insights from its wide range of services and touch points across the music value chain to drive intelligent, data-led live bookings aligned to consumer demand,” says the firm.

“By expanding our live events and experiences segment through Concorde 2 and Volks, we have reinforced our presence in this space”

London-headquartered ATC, whose portfolio includes agency ATC Live, ATC Management, merchandise firm Sandbag and livestreaming business Driift, listed on the Aquis Growth Market in London in December 2021. It revealed last month that it was considering a switch to the London Stock Exchange after more than doubling its revenue in 2024.

According to the company, the latest deals will enhance its “cross-selling potential”, while strengthening its “ability to offer end-to-end service delivery to artists across an increasing range of creative and commercial needs”.

“Live events remain a crucial part of the music industry, and by expanding our live events and experiences segment through Concorde 2 and Volks, we have reinforced our presence in this space,” says ATC Group CEO Adam Driscoll. “Importantly, it aligns with our ambition to provide a fully integrated service, supporting artists across every aspect of their careers, and enhances our extensive music services platform to create a better connection between the artist and the fan.

“We are delighted to be working with the teams at Concorde 2 and Volks who bring a wealth of experience of operating independent venues and who share our values and ethos of preserving and supporting independent music venues. With their established reputations in prime locations, both venues are well positioned to contribute meaningfully to the group’s future growth.”

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Manchester’s Co-op Live is celebrating welcoming the one millionth fan through its doors – just under ten months since its inaugural performance.

The UK’s largest live entertainment arena (cap. 23,500), which launched last May with a hometown concert by Elbow, passed the milestone this week prior to the first of two Teddy Swims concerts (10 & 16 March) at the venue.

The celebration included a surprise giveaway of a pair of complimentary tickets to a future show, a £50 Ticketmaster giftcard courtesy of the ticket agent, a signed Teddy Swims poster, Co-op Backstage Club upgrades, and £40 to spend in a local Co-op.

The £365 million facility – a joint venture between Oak View Group (OVG) and City Football Group – has hosted prestigious events such as the UFC and the MTV EMAs, as well as indoor shows by the likes of Paul McCartney, the Eagles and Pearl Jam.

“I couldn’t be more excited about the shows and events we have already hosted, and the ones to come”

This year has seen shows by Snow Patrol and Trivium, among others, with Sabrina Carpenter set to play Co-op Live tonight and tomorrow (13-14 March). Acts including Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Tyler, the Creator, Burna Boy, Robbie Williams and Billie Eilish are also set to follow over the next few months.

“2025 is our first full year in operation, and I couldn’t be more excited about the shows and events we have already hosted, and the ones to come,” Co-op Live general manager and SVP Guy Dunstan tells IQ.

“We’re coming up to a year since opening, and now is the time to maximise on our success. Our schedule is the strongest I have seen, and our fan and artist feedback continues to back up our drive to offer a world-class experience. But we aren’t one to stand still, and my focus is on ensuring we drive forward and upward – locking in more world-class events, bringing even more excitement, with plenty more innovation to set us apart.”

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UK music business conference The Great Escape (TGE) has unveiled the first keynote and featured speakers for its 2025 edition.

Scheduled for Brighton from 14-17 May, the programme will focus on industry topics such as fair compensation, AI, sustainability, UK counterculture, the cost of touring, and how independent artists can create a sustainable career in music.

Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens is the first keynote conversation to be announced. The musician, actor and writer will discuss his career and the evolving music industry landscape in an interview with BBC Introducing DJ Abbie McCarthy on Saturday 17 May.

“I’m buzzing to be part of The Great Escape’s conference this year,” says Stephens. “Music has always been my foundation, but my career has taken me down so many unexpected paths – from acting to writing to mental health advocacy. Sitting down with Abbie to unpack that journey and celebrate the grassroots movements that are keeping this industry alive is going to be something special.”

Another onstage conversation will feature broadcaster, footballer and DJ Pat Nevin and his long-time friend, Cocteau Twins member and Bella Union founder Simon Raymonde.

Hosted by DJ, broadcaster and music journalist Georgie Rogers, Nevin will share his passion for music and fandom, while Raymonde will talk through his career and new book In One Ear: Cocteau Twins, Ivor Raymonde and Me.

“TGE has also confirmed the return of the Steve Strange Award, in memory of the legendary agent, with the recipient receiving a £5,000 cash prize”

Elsewhere, leading music analyst and MIDiA Research founder Mark Mulligan will explore the latest trends in streaming, creator economies and market insights, while Songkick’s head of product Jordan Gemli will share insights on music discovery and fan engagement on the platform.

In addition, SoundCloud’s industry relations manager Hope Hale will host SoundCloud School, a deep dive into how artists can maximise their presence on the platform and PPL will present its PPL Licensing Masterclass, exploring the intricacies of rights and royalties.

Further workshops will come from Audio Network, Pollstar, The Spanish Wave, Brainchild Creative Studio, Ticketmaster New Music, Climate Live and AudioActive, Music Support, with other featured speakers to include BBC Radio 1 presenter Jodie Bryant; ATC Live agent Sarah Joy; Elspeth Merry, founder of PR agency Artists’ Way; NTIA CEO Michael Kill and Youth Music’s NextGen community producer Talia Andrea.

Also confirmed are the leaders of all the member organisations of the Council of Music Makers: Gee Davy (Association of Independent Music), Naomi Pohl (Musicians’ Union), Roberto Neri (The Ivors Academy), David Martin (Featured Artists Coalition), Annabella Coldrick (CEO, Music Managers Forum), and Cameron Craig (Music Producers Guild).

TGE has also confirmed the return of the Steve Strange Award, in memory of the legendary agent, with the recipient receiving a £5,000 cash prize. In 2024, the prize went to Faroese experimental rap-punk band Aggrasoppar, with this year’s winner to be revealed following the event on 19 May.

Delegate passes are available now, priced £282.

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AEG Presents has announced a wave of senior vice president promotions within its Global Partnership division.

Andrew Bersch has been elevated to SVP, finance & administration, while Holli Branam, Bret Heiman and Alex McArthur have been promoted to SVPs of sales.

Additionally, Samantha Fernandez and Brianne Grimley have been named SVP of festival activations and SVP of Venue activations, respectively, and Eric Kohler is upped to SVP, global partnerships.

The promotions follow the recent announcement of Andrew Klein as president of the Global Partnerships division.

“I am thrilled to announce the promotions of this group of industry leading individuals,” says Klein, “They have each been instrumental in helping grow and innovate with our family of global partners and music assets. With this leadership foundation, we are poised for incredible things over the next 10 years and beyond.”

Also in the US, WME recently confirmed the promotions of Stephen Schulcz and Richard Vega to partners of its music division.

Roundhouse is also gearing up for the launch of its new Roundhouse Three Sixty festival

Los Angeles-based Schulcz is the agency’s head of domestic festivals and oversees a roster including Teddy Swims, Victoria Monét, Givēon, Weezer, Will Smith, Swae Lee, Macklemore and Sam Fender, among others.

Vega, who relocated to Miami in 2024, oversees a list of clients such as Alvaro Diaz, Becky G, Bizarrap, Café Tacvba, Humbe, Ivan Cornejo, Kevin Kaarl, LP, Natanael Cano, Nicki Nicole, Saiko and Tainy.

And in the UK, London’s Roundhouse has announced the appointment of three new trustees: Florencia Kassai, Natasha Mann and Kevin O’Hare.

Kassai is managing partner at mid-market private equity firm Inflexion, Mann is a creative consultant who previously served as director of diversity and inclusion at Universal Music UK and MD at Island Records, and O’Hare is director of The Royal Ballet.

The Camden venue and creative cultural hub for young people is also gearing up for the launch of its new, month-long festival Roundhouse Three Sixty, which is set to run throughout April.

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Charli XCX dominated the 2025 BRIT Awards, picking up five honours including Album of the Year, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year (for Guess ft. Billie Eilish).

The CAA-represented singer-songwriter also won the fan-voted Dance Act and BRITs Songwriter of the Year, which had been announced earlier this week.

“CAA couldn’t be happier to see Charli recognised in this way following a stand-out year where Charli flew the flag for British music around the globe,” says the agency in a statement to IQ. “Charli has always been a special pioneering artist, so the five BRIT wins – ten years into her career is fully deserved and I’m sure she is just getting started. Congratulations to her and the whole team.”

Saturday night’s ceremony at The O2 in London was broadcast in primetime on ITV and ITVX, and streamed on YouTube for fans outside of the UK. Performers included Sabrina Carpenter, Teddy Swims, Sam Fender, JADE, Ezra Collective with special guest Jorja Smith, Lola Young, The Last Dinner Party and Rising Star winner Myles Smith.

“I’m delighted that Charli was recognised on the biggest stage, she has had a phenomenal year and it’s only right she comes away with the accolades to match”

Other award winners included JADE (Pop Act), Sam Fender (Alternative/Rock Act), Ezra Collective (Group of the Year), Sabrina Carpenter (BRITs Global Success), Chappell Roan, Good Luck, Babe! (International Song of the Year), Stormzy (Hip-Hop/Grime/Rap Act), Raye (R&B Act), Fontaines D.C. (International Group of the Year), The Last Dinner Party (Best New Artist), Chappell Roan (International Artist of the Year) and A.G. Cook (Producer of the Year).

The evening also included a tribute to the late One Direction star Liam Payne following his death last October. Host Jack Whitehall addressed the audience before a video montage was shown.

The BRITs 2025 was chaired for a third and final year by Damian Christian (MD and president of promotions at Atlantic Records, part of Warner Music UK), who oversaw the BRITs creative team which included set and stage design by Misty Buckley, BRITs TV Executive Producer Sally Wood and BRITs TV Director Phil Heyes. This year’s BRIT award was designed by British-Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist Gabriel Moses.

“I’m delighted that Charli was recognised on the biggest stage, she has had a phenomenal year and it’s only right she comes away with the accolades to match,” adds Christian. “And congratulations to all the winners, nominees and performers. On a personal note, it’s been an honour chairing the BRITs over the last three years, and I hope we’ve done the industry and our artists proud.”

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LCD Soundsystem have announced an eight-night residency at London’s O2 Academy Brixton.

The stint will take place from 12-15 & 19-22 June this year. The two Sunday dates (15 & 22 June) will be early shows, held from 5pm-9pm.

The New York-hailing group, who are represented in Europe by WME, previously completed a sold-out six-night run at the 4,921-cap venue in 2022.

In other tour news, all five members of multi-platinum-selling boy band Five – Abz Love, J Brown, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson and Sean Conlon – are reuniting for the first time in 2025 to embark on a 12-date UK arena outing this autumn.

“This has been a long time coming and it really does feel right for all of us now”

“This has been a long time coming and it really does feel right for all of us now – 25 years on and we’re so ready for it,” says Conlon. “Reconnecting as a five over the last year has been special and I know I speak for all the boys when I say we can’t wait to do this all over again.”

The tour, which is being promoted by AEG Presents and TEG Live Europe in association with CAA, will call at Brighton Centre (31 October), Bournemouth BIC (1 November), Utilita Arena Cardiff (2 November), Nottingham Motorpoint Arena (4 November), Liverpool M&S Bank Arena (5 November) and Manchester AO Arena (7 November).

It will then visit Leeds’ First Direct Arena (8 November), Utilita Arena Birmingham (9 November), The O2 in London ((11 November), Newcastle’s Utilita Arena (14 November), Aberdeen P&J Live (15 November) and OVO Hydro Glasgow (16 November).

The group toured the UK, US, Europe, South America, Australia and Asia in their original 1997-2001 run. They also played arenas as a four-piece, without Brown, as part of the Big Reunion Tour, a spin-off from the ITV documentary series The Big Reunion.

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UK-based independent agency Neil O’Brien Entertainment has announced the launch of a new subsidiary, Motion Agency.

Based at the company offices in Soho, London, Motion will launch in March with an initial roster of 25 artists including Ocean Colour Scene, Public Image Limited, Cast, The Fratellis, Alabama 3, Spin Doctors, Sleeper, Echobelly, The View, Stereo MC’s, Incognito, Huey Morgan, The Twang, The Enemy and Roachford.

The spin-off division will also represent emerging acts Toby Lee, Pastel, Shambolics, Pistol Daisies and The Jacques.

“I formed my company in 2007 so will be celebrating 18 years as a 100% owned independent this year and I have always been proud of the range of artists I have had the good fortune to work with,” says MD Neil O’Brien. “Over the last few years, the company has gone from strength to strength incorporating some incredible agents into what I do and signing some truly great artists. It felt like the right time to create a home where these artists are given the right attention and exposure.

“It is an opportunity to grow a brand dedicated to great rock & roll, soul, funk and rock genres”

“As the company grows, Motion Agency will be committed to continuing to develop artist careers and I am confident the team of myself, Greg Woodcock, Jamie Kelly, Ross Leslie and Sal Ridsdale will be creating a home where our knowledge and understanding of our markets will benefit all of our clients. It is an opportunity to grow a brand dedicated to great rock & roll, soul, funk and rock genres.”

Neil O’Brien Entertainment will continue to represent clients including Joe Bonamassa, Fisherman’s Friends, Beth Hart, Damian Lewis, Dionne Warwick, Lulu, Holly Johnson, Paul Young, PP Arnold, Paul Potts, Bond, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Amy Winehouse Band and Blow Monkeys, among others.

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A fresh wave of new festivals have been confirmed around the globe as the 2025 international schedule continues to expand.

Electronic music record label and event series Afterlife has announced two Afterlife Festivals across North America and Europe, taking place in Mexico and Spain.

Each day of the two-stage event – set for Hipódromo de las Américas, Mexico City (9-10 May) and Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (13-14 June) – will be curated by Anyma and MRAK, respectively, and focus on “the essence of Afterlife’s music, artists and community”.

Also in the electronic music sphere, Stufish Entertainment Architects have been unveiled as the stage designers for the inaugural Adriatic Sound Festival, which is set to take place at Fano Airport, Italy, from 13-14 June. Acts will include Sven Väth and Armand Van Helden and Stephan Bodzin.

Saudi-based promoter MDLBeast has also revealed another addition to its portfolio in the form of 1001 Nights. Scheduled for 24-25 April, the festival will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Billed as “a festival like no other, where music and stories come together, journey through a realm of grooves, rhythm and our tales reimagined”, the gathering will be open from 4pm to 4am. Lineup details are yet to be announced.

“We’re creating an unprecedented experience for Asian music fans”

Elsewhere, global experiential entertainment company Allied Gaming & Entertainment (AGAE) has announced the launch of RythmX x Strawberry Music Festival in partnership with Beijing Modern Sky Cultural Development Co. and Macau Elite Fun Entertainment. Billed as a “first-of-its-kind co-branded music festival”, it will take place in October at Macau’s new 50,000-capacity outdoor music venue.

The three-day event will feature an exclusive pre-night concert followed by two full days of performances from international and Asian artists.

“This festival is a major step in expanding AGAE’s entertainment footprint,” says AGAE CEO Yinghua Chen. “By bringing together our RythmX brand with Modern Sky’s 16-year well-established Strawberry Music Festival, and hosting it in Macau’s largest outdoor venue, we’re creating an unprecedented experience for Asian music fans. Our goal is to establish this as a must-attend annual festival that draws music lovers from across the region.”

And in the UK, longstanding festival venue Chai Wallahs is bidding to bolster the struggling independent music sector with the launch of Grassroots Rising from 18-21 June 2026.

The event will invite independent festivals, venues and promoters to create a collaborative event over one weekend, cutting costs while enabling audiences to discover new artists. The “pioneering” new model will offer audiences a voice in shaping lineups when they buy membership via a crowdfunder.

“We believe this idea is a solution for our whole industry”

“We believe this idea is a solution for our whole industry,” says Chai Wallahs creative director Si Chai. “By joining together as a ‘Community Benefit Society’ we can massively reduce our independent running costs and bring down ticket prices to a more affordable level. It’s an alternative model that won’t cost partners anything, but will allow them to generate an income and keep their audiences warm and content.

“Grassroots Rising not only offers a solution to the financial challenges the industry faces but, as a celebration of strictly ‘independent music and grassroots culture’, will also address the imbalances between commercially supported and non-supported artists.”

Secret Garden Party (SGP) landowner Freddie Fellowes will host the event at the SGP site in Abbots Ripton Estate, Huntingdon.

“Having made a stand last year, with our last Secret Garden Party, about the importance of grassroots support and the worries about multinational companies’ influence on the live music scene, I am thrilled to be working with Chai Wallahs on this all important event to highlight the rich wonders that the now overlooked grassroots music scene holds,” says Fellowes.

Venues across the UK have already signed up to run a stage at the festival, which has also been endorsed by the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), Save Our Scene and the Music Venue Trust (MVT).

“It’s an important opportunity to bring together independent musicians, venues, promoters, bookers, festivals, and the whole ecosystem in which grassroots culture exists,” says MVT chief Mark Davyd. “It’s this kind of initiative that will foster multiple platforms for emerging artists to perform but also provide great spaces for some of the country’s best loved grassroots venues to present the breadth and depth of their programming.”

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