Thursday, December 13, 2007

2007 Concert Dollars, Attendance Down 10.2%, 19.2% Respectively

Unless you're a major headliner, the make up your lost record sales revenue with touring argument appears to have just lost its credibility.

From Ray Waddell, Billboard:
Overall, North American concert dollars and attendance are down double digits this year, after a record year in 2006 with the Rolling Stones, Madonna, U2, Barbra Streisand and other big ticket tours on the road. North American gross concert dollars for 2007 are down 10.2% to $2.6 billion, and concert attendance is down 19.2% to 51 million.

"Yes, a 19.2% decrease in attendance is very disturbing, since it reflects that the consumers are not really supporting breaking and mid-level talent," AEG Live president/ CEO Randy Phillips says. "If this trend continues, who will be the headliners of tomorrow?"

Related: Live Nation struggles with stock price

Link

1 comment:

sean coon said...

so, let me get this straight: they refer to the "big" (read: fossil) headliners of last year as booming (with baby boomers paying ridiculous amounts of money to see them) and then no reference to how similar type acts did in 2007?

"concerts" of that size have been relegated to 70's, 80's and 90's mega-acts for at least the past 10 years.

where's the study on the bar, club and festival shows? you know, where the "headliners of tomorrow" are actually being supported, today?

we're not in 1977; there's no guarantee that if you have a gimmick or can play guitar, that the music industry can *make* you rich and famous. those levers have long since been eroded.

all industries are facing redefinitions of success metrics.