A global study of nearly 15,000 live music fans across 12 countries suggests the industry’s next major growth opportunity lies not in chasing new audiences, but in removing the practical obstacles that prevent existing fans, particularly women, from attending more events.
Released by The Collective and THE·TEAM‘s music group, the report Her Frequency: How Women Amplify Value Across the Live Music Experience argues that women function as participation multipliers, shaping the concert economy far beyond their own ticket purchases.
The Participation Economy
The study contends that live music has evolved into a broader participation economy, where value is generated before, during, and after the event through spending on travel, food, hospitality, merchandise, and premium experiences. Women, the findings show, are central to this shift.
According to the research, 83% of women play a meaningful role in shaping group experiences around concerts and festivals. They discover events, coordinate plans, organize attendance, influence purchasing decisions, and build the social moments that make live music memorable.
Emotional Connection and Practical Barriers
The report found that emotional engagement is not the problem. Globally, 64% of women identify as live music fans, and 81% say live music helps them feel connected to others. Nearly 90% typically attend shows with friends, family, or communities rather than alone.
Instead, the study points to planning, coordination, transportation, comfort, scheduling, caregiving responsibilities, venue navigation, and overall ease of participation as the factors that determine whether fandom translates into attendance. For many fans balancing work, family, and other obligations, committing to a concert is rarely spontaneous.
Willingness to Spend
That friction represents a substantial financial opportunity. The study found that 86% of women would be willing to spend more on live music experiences if those experiences felt more seamless, immersive, and rewarding.
Practical improvements that could help remove barriers include:
- Better planning tools and venue maps
- Set-time alerts and coordinated seating options
- Split-payment ticketing and travel bundles
- Hydration stations, rest areas, and family-friendly accommodations
These are not necessarily flashy innovations, but the research suggests they may have a larger impact on attendance than many industry stakeholders realize.
The findings also indicate that independent artists may not need to focus solely on reaching new fans. Many existing fans already want to attend more shows; the challenge is helping them overcome the practical hurdles between interest and action. The study notes that fandom is inherently social: people coordinate plans, bring friends, organize groups, share recommendations, and influence purchasing decisions, all of which amplify participation.
