The Hometown Glory report builds on UK Music’s work looking at regional economic trends and provides new insights and strategies to grow music scenes and industries at a local level across the country.

The report outlines how music has the power to regenerate places, support skilled employment, and promote the UK’s global cultural leadership. It argues that supporting local music can be a key tool in strengthening communities and driving local and national pride, while simultaneously providing the support the music industry needs to thrive.

The key findings for Hometown Glory 2025 include: 

• 23.5 million “music tourists” attended UK shows in 2024 – a record and a 23% increase over the 19.2 million in 2023.

  • Of these, 21.9 million were domestic attendees, while 1.6 million (a 62% rise) came from overseas.

• This surge generated a £10 billion boost to the UK economy, up approximately 25 – 26% from the £8 billion in 2023.

  • £5.1 billion of that was direct spending on tickets, food/drink, travel, merchandise, accommodation etc.

  • £4.9 billion was indirect spending (security, fencing, logistics).

• The live music sector supported 72,000 jobs in 2024 – up from 62,000 in 2023.

The data also revealed:

• London accounted for the largest slice: 7.5 million attendees generating £2.7 billion. Other strong regions were the North-West (3.3 million; £1.2 bn) and the South-West (2.5 million; £1.1 bn).

• Key acts driving the growth included Taylor Swift (Eras Tour), Charli XCX, Bruce Springsteen, Sam Fender, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, The Killers, and Foo Fighters, with major festivals like Glastonbury, Download, and Boardmasters playing a crucial part.

• Challenges remain: inflation, touring costs, rising ticket prices, and 250 festival closures since 2019