29.05.2026: UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan have hailed London as the ‘music capital of the world’ as the city gears up for a record-breaking summer of music. 

According to the London Mayor’s Office, London is set for a record-breaking summer of music, with the capital the only place in the country to catch performances from some of the world’s biggest stars.

Harry Styles will perform a record 12-date run at Wembley Stadium as part of the stadium’s busiest summer on record, while The O2 is primed for its busiest August ever with Ariana Grande performing her only shows outside of North America this year at the arena. Meanwhile, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host Bad Bunny, who will become the first Latin American artist to headline a major UK stadium.

UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl said: “London is the most exciting city in the world when it comes to the fantastic diversity of the capital’s vibrant music scene. Millions of visitors from home and abroad came last year to see acts ranging from stadium-fillers like Oasis and Beyoncé to the best new performers at our grassroots venues.

“We’re looking forward to another brilliant summer of festivals, concerts and events when music fans will give the city’s economy a huge boost by spending at the events as well as hotels, bars, restaurants and other businesses. The multi-cultural beat of London’s amazing music scene with its iconic venues, global stars and emerging new talent makes the city a fantastic place to live, work and visit.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Music fans can look forward to a record-breaking summer as our incredible stadiums, parks and grassroots venues bring millions together to enjoy the very best performances. From Harry Styles’ record run at Wembley Stadium, to Bad Bunny becoming the first Latin American artist to headline a major UK stadium, and Ariana Grande giving her only performances outside North America in the O2, we’ll be welcoming some of the world’s biggest artists to our stages.

“It shows why London is the undisputed capital of music and will provide a huge boost to our economy, as we build a better London for everyone.”

You can find out more about London’s huge summer of music here.

Music tourism across the UK is a major and growing contributor the economy. UK Music’s Hometown Glory report revealed that in 2024 music tourists spent a record £10 billion – a 26% increase on the 2023 total spend of £8 billion.
2024 also saw a record 23.5 million music tourists – up 23% on 2023’s total of 19.2 million – enjoy live music concerts and festivals in the UK. Of the 23.5 million total, 21.9 million were music tourists from the UK – a 21% rise on 2023. A total of 1.6 million visitors last were overseas music tourists – up 62% on the 2023 total of one million.

The surge in music tourism in 2024 was driven by tours from the likes of Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, Sam Fender, Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, Girls Aloud, The Killers, Doja Cat, Foo Fighters, Burna Boy and Bruce Springsteen.

You can find out more about our Hometown Glory report here.

As part of the report, UK Music launched its Local Music Action Charter, a new initiative designed to offer local authorities practical help in bolstering local music communities and driving economic growth through music. You can find out more and sign up to the charter here.