5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The big live music gigs fuelling India's concert economy
From Coldplay's ₹ 641 crore spectacle to Diljit Dosanjh's record-breaking tour, to sold out tickets for Travis' upcoming gig, India's live music scene is booming
Coldplay might be tied to Astronomer in everyone's mind, but the last time they grabbed headlines, it was for their ₹641 crore Ahmedabad concert. From their record-breaking return to Diljit Dosanjh's expansive homegrown tour, India's live music industry is witnessing a major shift.
The last five years have seen international composers and Indian headliners alike drawing massive crowds, pushing production boundaries, and expanding the country's touring map. Sonali Singh, CEO, Ripple Effects, shared that the Dil-Lumanati Tour was the biggest in the history of live entertainment in the country. We speak to the key players in the industry to identify the concerts that have stood out, in terms of scale, audience size, production and cultural impact.
AP Dhillon, Jazzy B and Honey Singh in one of the most talked about concerts in Delhi last year
The EDM frontier
Alan Walker's Walkerworld India Tour saw him perform four shows across Guwahati, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar and Jaipur this year. He also toured Kolkata, Shillong, NCR, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Pune and Mumbai in October 2024.
Sunburn Holi ft. Martin Garrix: The Mumbai gig saw 45,000 fans for Garrix's Holi headline set, ending with a live performance owith Arijit Singh.
Sunburn Holi ft. Marshmello: Held across four cities Mumbai, NCR, Pune, and Bengaluru – the tour drew 70,000+ fans overthe Holi weekend.
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DJ Snake's six-city India tour covered Ahmedabad, NCR, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
Yellow Claw ' s shows in Pune, Kolkata, and Hyderabad blended trap, bass, and hardstyle elements. — Spacebound, the parent company of Sunburn
International acts that have powered India's concert boom
Coldplay 's Music of the Spheres World Tour kicked off with three performances in Mumbai, followed by two record-breaking shows in Ahmedabad. The India tour drew over 3,70,000 fans over five days.
The Ahmedabad concerts brought in an estimated ₹641 crore in economic impact..
Ed Sheeran 's multi-city tour included Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Shillong, NCR, and Mumbai in 2025. Highlights includedstandout collabs with Diljit (Lover) and AR Rahman (Shape of You x Urvasi). Held in Mumbai, Lollapalooza India 2025 brought acts like Green Day, Shawn Mendes, Aurora, and Zedd, alongside Indian performers including Lisa Mishra, Raftaar, and Hanumankind.
Guns N' Roses ' return brought Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan for a much-awaited reunion in India.
— Top 5 music events produced and promoted by BookMyShow Live
Homegrown, breakout tours ₹10draw
Post Malone' s maiden performance in India in 2022 cemented the country's position as a tour destination for international artistes.
With over 300K+ registrations, the demand for Dua Lipa 's concert wasn't limited to Mumbai: over 50% of ticket buyers hailed from other cities.
Diljit Dosanjh's DilLuminati Tour served as a grand homecoming. The artiste added a couple more shows in existing and new markets, expanding it into a 13city tour.
Honey Singh's Millionaire Tour became one of the biggest in terms of hype, sold-out venues, and public discussion for an Indian artiste. Tickets for his Mumbai and Delhi shows were sold out within minutes of going live.
Rishab Rikhiram Sharma 's sitar for mental health tour is considered significant not just for its scale, but primarily for the profound impact it has had on attendees and those who caught a glimpse of it on social media.
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