Report: Live Music Overtakes Sport, Film & Sex As Australians' Favourite Form Of Entertainment

Live Nation has just released a report that reveals that Australians are following a global trend of live music overtaking sport, film, and even sex as the #1 form of entertainment.

The Living For Live report is based on the most extensive survey the entertainment promoters have ever conducted, with 40,000 participants across 15 countries surveyed.

The report aims to showcase “why live music now outranks sports, film, and streaming in Australia — and how fandom is reshaping culture, connection, and commerce in the country and beyond.”

Australians surveyed have proved that concerts have become more than entertainment. Live music provides “life milestones, expressions of identity, and shared experiences” that showcase intergenerational appeal and boost local economies.

Four in ten Aussies (42%) said they would choose live music as their preferred form of entertainment, with 82% of punters sharing that live music is a “core part” of their identity. 76% of punters added that live music environments are “where they feel their most themselves,” and that’s a passion they want to pass on to their children.

Other key findings from Australian participants include that 78% of punters describe concerts as their “most memorable life moments,” and 63% of people surveyed say they plan their calendars early so they don’t miss a show. Over seven out of ten punters said concerts are their “go-to” method of celebrating life’s milestones.

Australians are also fans of global music, with many attending international tours and nearly half of the music they consume being in another language. Back to live music, and it’s clear that concerts are powering local economies.

Nearly six in ten Australians surveyed said they travel for shows yearly, and 76% spend on food and beverages at live music events. Punters are also filling hotels and AirBnbs, as well as restaurants, planes, trains, buses, and rideshares, and retail stores.

You can see more statistics from the Living For Live report here.

“Live music has a unique power to bring people together,” commented Kristy Rosser, Live Nation’s Senior Vice President, Head of Media and Sponsorship in Australia and New Zealand.

Rosser added, “Fans aren’t just attending a concert. They’re part of something bigger. They travel, they connect, and they create memories that stay with them for life. Here in Australia, we see that passion every day. The Living for Live report captures the heart of that experience and shows how live music continues to inspire, unite and shape culture across the world.”