Mid-Year Global Reports Show Aussie Venues & Promoters Are Delivering The Right Experiences

The Australian live sector has remained switched to “firestarter” so far in 2025.

So much so that some players are among the world’s best performers according to mid-year reports from Pollstar and Billboard magazines.

During this period, the five biggest Australian arenas sold over 1 million tickets and generated revenues totalling US $141,9 million.

The top 5 promoters had 3 million customers going through the turnstiles and banked a combined $300 million.

The three highest-ranked stadiums sold 630,000 tickets grossing $80 million, the top two amphitheatres clicked over $20 million drawing over 230,000, and the three top clubs had 150,000 customers who spent $7.2 million for the experience.

Qudos Bank Arena

Pollstar ranked Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena at #4 globally in terms of its revenue (US$74.9 million), and #10 for the number of ticket sales (595,663).

Billboard, with a different calculation and time periods, also ranked it at #4, for a $80 million gross and drawing 606,000 fans to 48 shows.

One of these was Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour, which set a new single-event attendance record on February 28 with 21,001 attendees. It broke the record set 18 years before by Justin Timberlake for the FutureSex/LoveShow Tour with 20,839 on November 13, 2997.

From February, the arena had a run of box office draws with UFC 312, Bryan Adams, Drake, Kylie Minogue, Chris Stapleton, Dua Lipa, Cody Johnson, Keshi, Eason Chan, Falling In Reverse, comedian Russell Peters and boxer George Kambosos Jr.

Its General Manager, Steve Hevern, said: “Live entertainment is thriving and the phenomenal results we are seeing from this current run of events are testament to that.  

“These events captivate live entertainment fans and bring thousands of visitors to Sydney, adding to its vibrancy and with substantial economic impact”.

Marvel Stadium

Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium also had a high worldwide ranking, placed at #2 by Billboard for revenue of $93.2 million and 724,000 punters. 

Pollstar had it at #5 for generating a gross at $37.5 million between November 14, 2024 and May 14, 2025, and at #7 for highest ticket sales (288,169).

In this time, the stadium’s biggest draws were Luke Combs (111,200), Green Day (54,600), Aus X (32,800) and Pearl Jam (108,100).

The stadium’s General Manager, Scott Fitzgerald, commented, “To be named among the best stadiums on the global stage is a true testament to the investment and innovation that has gone into evolving Marvel Stadium into a world-class, 365-day multi-purpose venue that is delivering unforgettable experiences for fans, artists, and athletes alike.

“Events like these would not be possible without the support of our world-class partners, including Disney, Live Nation, Frontier, Ticketmaster and Delaware North, who work tirelessly to attract the best in global entertainment and ensure our fans have amazing guest experiences at our venue.

“Melbourne is a city that lives and breathes sport and live entertainment, and we’re proud that Marvel Stadium is continuing to shine on an international stage and creating experiences that rival the world’s best.”

Fitzgerald’s comment about Melbourne was also reflected with the Sidney Myer Music Bowl considered the second best performing amphitheatre in the world (gross and ticket sales), and Forum Melbourne acknowledged as the fourth highest for revenue and eighth in terms of tickets sold.

POLLSTAR’S REPORT (based on grosses)

Arenas

#4 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney: $74.9 million gross; 595,663 tickets.

#32 Brisbane Entertainment Centre: $29.3 million gross; 96,237 tickets.

#48 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne: $19.6 million gross; 191,543 tickets.

#81 RAC Arena, Perth: $11.1 million gross; 106,380 tickets.

#110 Adelaide Entertainment Centre: $7 million gross; 75,719 tickets.

#121 Hordern Pavilion, Sydney: $6 million, 89,655 tickets.

#196 Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne: $2.3 million gross; 31,120 tickets.

Clubs

#4 Forum Melbourne: $4.9 million; 83,930 tickets.

#38 170 Russell, Melbourne: $1.2 million gross; 32,835 tickets.

#39 Corner Hotel, Melbourne: $1.1 million gross; 36,036 tickets.

#128 Northcote Social Club, Melbourne: $324,644 gross; 15,050 tickets.

#140 Max Watts Melbourne: $269,574 gross; 7,509 tickets.

#157 Triffid, Brisbane: $229,035 gross; 5,547 tickets.

#194 Prince Bandroom, Melbourne: $163, 193 gross; 4,025 tickets.

Amphitheatres

#2: Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne: $13.6 million gross; 178,629 tickets.

#7 Brisbane Riverstage: $3.4 million; 47,748 tickets.

#43 Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter Valley: $208,362 gross; 10,400 tickets.

#45 Fremantle Arts Centre: $200,832 gross; 3,415 tickets.

Stadiums

#5 Marvel Stadium, Melbourne: $37.5 million gross; 288,169 tickets.

#13 Flemington Racecourse Melbourne: $25.2 million; 200,043 tickets.

#18 Accor Stadium, Sydney: $18.3 million; 138,146 tickets.

#35 Byron Events Farm, Byron Bay: $12.1 million gross; 112,000 tickets.

Theatres

#188 Hamer Hall, Melbourne: $1.2 million gross; 12,396 tickets.

#191: Palais Theatre, Melbourne: $1.2 million gross; 16,788 tickets.

#198 Riverside Theatre, Perth: $1.1 million gross; 19,585 tickets.

Promoters (Based On Gross)

#9 Frontier Touring: $106.8 million gross; 962,191 tickets.

#14 TEG Group: $87.7 million gross; 993,991 tickets.

#20 Untitled Group: $59.5 million gross; 625,980 tickets.

#24: Destroy All Lines: $42.6 million gross; 429,465 tickets.

#71 Bluesfest Touring: $12.4 million gross; 115,719 tickets.

#72 MG Live: $12.3 million gross; 108,637 tickets.

#77 Handsome Tours: $11.8 million gross; 171,474 tickets.

Results for Live Nation Australia and NZ were rolled into the US parent company’s, topping the category with $2.3 billion gross and shifting 23.2 million tickets.

Untitled Group issued a statement noting its status as “the only wholly Australian-owned promoter to break into the Top 20, an achievement that reflects a record-setting 12 months of growth.”

Its success was based on the action of its festivals — Beyond The Valley (BTV), Pitch Music & Arts, Wildlands and Ability Fest — as well as AO Live at the tennis, and tours including Dom Dolla, Lola Young, Kaytranada, Marlon Hoffstadt, Sugababes and Kesha.

BTV and Pitch also landed spots on DJ Mag’s Top 100 Festivals list for 2025.

Untitled co-founder and Managing Partner, Nicholas Greco, said: “To be recognised on a global scale is an incredible achievement for our team and a reflection of the massive summer we’ve delivered. 

“Breaking into the global Top 20 reinforces the momentum we’ve carried into 2025.”

Bluesfest Byron Bay had the highest rating of an Australian festival by ranking #13 on Pollstar’s Global Live Box Office chart. 218 shows were reported, and festival Director Peter Noble said he was chuffed that his event – which drew 112,000 four days this year – pulled ahead of superstar tours from Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Metallica and The Eagles.

“To be included in this list, up there with the biggest names in the industry, is a testament to the love people have for this festival,” he commented. “This recognition speaks to the power of live music in Australia.”

New Era In Data

The buoyancy in Australian live music’s first half of 2025 continued on from a strong 2024, especially in the top end.

Music Australia’s first-of-a-kind report, The Bass Line: Charting The Economic Contribution Of Australia’s Music Industry, from mid-June, showed that the across-the-board music industry generated $8.78 billion and contributed $2.82 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) to the Australian economy in 2023-24.

Of that, the live performance sector was the single biggest contributor, generating $4.83 billion in revenue and $1.44 billion in direct GVA. Ticket sales amounted to an estimated $2.25 billion (for both local and international artists).

At the report’s two-hour presentation and discussion, Music Australia’s Director, Millie Millgate, noted that the Albanese Government’s commitment to the sector also significantly extended to realising that funding highly detailed and regular reports was essential.

“We now have a robust and repeatable foundation to measure our future impact, a methodology to capture trends, patterns within the subsectors and the ability to determine and support those who are missing. And an instrument to calculate year-on-year growth.”

The report gave the music industry the clout and bragging rights to what it was worth and its financial contribution to the country.

During the presentation (and the excited discussions by executives in the weeks after), it meant a more confident push for tax rebates for the music export market (now shown to be almost $1 billion each year), and tours, and to amp up the private investment in the industry. 

Future reports will deep-dive into First Nations music and social impact, EDM and export, and greater involvement with Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern music markets.

Jess Keely of Wonderlick Management, who represented the Association of Australian Managers on the panel, pointed out the relatively low incomes of artists and managers.

“When I started managing 15 years ago, you needed at least three acts to make a liveable wage. But these days, there are not many who can work with less than five. 

“That is such a workload. The same amount of work goes into developing an artist into a Dom Dolla. What this report hasn’t articulated but puts it out there is that the majority of what managers do is unpaid.”

Keely foresaw a new commercial partnership model for artist managers. When she gets calls from record labels and publishers to manage their artists, her reply is, “You can pay me to manage your artist to make back your return.”

Two Upcoming Challenges

With the Australian market now able to better predict and deal with challenges, there are two overseas trends to deal with.

One, is that the amount of international headliners is drying up. Chartmetric reported that the share of mid-level touring artists fell from 19 per cent in 2022 to just 12 per cent in 2024. 

Among superstar artists, the share of touring fell from 44 per cent in 2022 to 36 per cent in 2024.

Can the Aussie biz fill the vacuum with local acts? Or will promoters turn to more “reunions” and “heritage acts”, as one promoter suggested to TheMusic.com.au?

Another report, from MIDiA, is that live music is losing young males, especially in the USA, with live music attendance amongst young men plummeting and their spending on video games overtaking music (including live).

Attendance by males aged 16 to 19 dropped from 17 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 8 per cent, while males aged 20 to 24 dropped from 12 per cent to 7 per cent, and males 25 to 34 plummeted from 20 per cent to 8 per cent.

Females in those age groups generally saw a rise in attendance by 1 per cent to 4 per cent.

MIDiA is concerned that through social media, younger males are getting radicalised and we’re seeing “misogyny, violence, and exploitation as a glorified strain of masculinity.” 

The Australian music industry’s commitment to wellbeing and mental health is a trend it cannot ignore and one which it needs to start working against.