Australia’s Live Entertainment Industry Feels The Pinch From Escalating Costs

SYDNEY, Australia — Concerts are still a huge drawcard in Australia, but the wider live events industry isn’t a picture of rude health.

According to newly-published data from Live Performance Australia, concert fans bought more than 13.7 million tickets last year, down 2.4% from the prior year, generating revenue of A$1.8 billion ($1.25 billion), slipping 0.9% from the all-time mark set in 2024.

The result would’ve been worse had it not been for an exceptional run of stadium shows and high-profile international tours from the likes of Lady Gaga, Oasis, AC/DC, Luke Combs, Drake, Tyler The Creator, Billie Eilish, Metallica and Kendrick Lamar.

The business for contemporary music concerts was, by some distance, the leader in both share of revenue (53.5%) and attendance (44.8%) last year. The average ticket price for contemporary concerts lifted by 2.0% year-on-year to A$138.15 ($96) in 2025, which partially offset the decline in revenue.

Despite a string of high-profile brands collapsing or pressing pause, Australia’s network of contemporary music festivals shifted 2.1 million tickets in 2025, by 4.9% from the previous year, and reported total revenue at a tick under A$400 million ($280 million), up by 20.7% year-on-year.

Together, the business of concerts and festivals was the strong suit for Australia’s live performance industry, accounting for more than 65% of total revenue and upwards of 51% of total attendance.

“These results were attributable to a strong array of major international tours and festival line ups, attracting higher average ticket prices,” explains the report’s editors.

Overall, the live performance industry was down slightly to A$3.4 billion ($2.37 billion) in ticket revenue. Ticketed attendance dipped by 2.4% to 30.7 million, as seven of the 12 categories posted year-on-year erosion, as promoters grappled with challenging business conditions, while punters counted their dollars, resulting in changing ticket-buying behavior.

During the reporting period, average ticket prices lifted by 14.1% per cent to A$206.17 ($144), which contributed to the growth in revenue and reflected increased costs for organizers, reads a statement from LPA.

“While this is the highest-ever recorded for the industry, it only partially offset rising costs experienced across the economy, given that Australia’s headline inflation rate in 2025 was 3.8%,” reads the LPA’s 2025 Live Performance Attendance and Revenue Report.

Still, the headline results are the second-highest results since the annual report was first published in 2004.

“Australians love their live performance experiences but are under more intense cost-of-living pressures and being more selective in their ticket buying choices which led to a softening in overall demand in 2025,” Live Performance Australia CEO Eric Lassen remarks.

“At the same time, our producers and presenters are grappling with rising costs of production and touring which is reducing operating margins and increasing financial risk, particularly in the theatrical sector.”

The largest, and most worrying decline was seen in Musical Theatre, which diminished by more than 16% for both revenue and attendance during the reporting period. With revenue of A$442.3 million ($309 million), Musical Theatre is the second biggest category behind Contemporary Concerts.

Lassen, who succeeded longtime former LPA CEO Evelyn Richardson in January 2025, adds: “There will always be some variability in the overall revenue and attendance figures depending on touring and production cycles, particularly for big international acts, but we also need to address the longer-term structural challenges for the industry if it’s to have a sustainable future.”

Download the LPA’s latest Ticket Attendance and Revenue Report here.