Gen Z has become the highest-spending demographic for live music, even as ticket prices continue to climb, according to new data from Luminate Intelligence.
In the first quarter, Gen Z participants spent an average of $101 on concerts, surpassing millennial spending. The study found that price sensitivity is declining across age groups. Among all respondents, 53% said ticket costs prevented them from attending more shows, down from 59% two years ago. For Gen Z specifically, 57% cited ticket prices as a barrier, a steep drop from 75% in 2024. Millennials saw a similar decline, from 66% to 56% over the same period.
Concert attendance frequency is also rising. The share of Gen Z respondents attending at least two concerts per year increased from 29% in Q1 2024 to 37% in Q1 2026. Willingness to travel improved markedly, with only 31% pointing to travel expenses as a deterrent, compared to 61% two years earlier.
“Blue dot fever certainly shouldn’t be thought of as a terminal prognosis for the industry,” said Robert Steiner, media analyst at Luminate Intelligence. “Overall, the live music business, both in terms of money in the box office and butts in seats, has seen several consecutive record-breaking years so far this decade. But the phenomenon is nonetheless a sign of the times: Post-pandemic demand for live music remains sky high, and artists and organisers have responded in kind. At the same time, operational costs have also ballooned, which translates to higher ticket prices.”
