A new study has valued the Liverpool City Region’s music economy at £780 million annually, a figure 52% higher than previous estimates. The report, backed by the Liverpool City Region Music Board, provides a detailed quantification of the sector’s economic footprint and suggests a pathway to reaching £1 billion per year.
Liverpool’s musical heritage long predates the Beatles, with its historic port serving as a gateway for American jazz, blues, R&B, and Irish folk music. The new assessment aims to capture the full scale of the modern music ecosystem.
Jon Collins, chair of the Music Board and CEO of industry body Live, described the study as having a “rock-solid evidence base” and the potential to drive growth towards becoming a £1bn-a-year economy in the future.
Key findings from the report include:
- More than 14,000 people are employed across the region’s music sector.
- The live-music ecosystem includes more than 500 venues.
The report’s methodology could serve as a template for other cities seeking to measure their music economies.
