Your superstar FOMO is hurting Australian music, report finds
A fear of missing out is driving Australians to spend up big on seeing international music stars live, sometimes at the expense of local acts, research has found.
Ticket costs are the primary barrier to music attendance, but some fans are willing to 'break the bank' to attend shows that are considered once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
The findings come in the first of a three-report series from Music Australia, a dedicated federal body established to support and invest in the local industry.
They land amid a rush of overseas acts touring Australia, including Taylor Swift, Green Day, Paul McCartney and Kiss in 2024, and Billie Eilish recently, to be followed by Lady Gaga and Oasis later this year.
Australians were some of the world's biggest consumers of music, and attendance at gigs and concerts was a 'quintessential part of Australian life', the report said.
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In 2024, Australians purchased more than 14 million tickets to contemporary music events and festivals, generating over $1.8 billion in revenue.
The report, Listening In: Insights on live music attendance, indicates there is a strong appetite for Australian music and support and recognition for Australian music acts.
But it also found a disconnect between these supportive attitudes and actually seeing emerging Australian musicians live.
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