Female stars driving global ticket sales growth, StubHub says

StubHub says that major female artists were the driving force behind record-breaking concert sales worldwide over the summer.

The marketplace said top female acts, led by Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, accounted for 57% of StubHub’s total summer concert sales globally. It added that the average ticket price for top female artists right now is $660, compared to $245 for top male artists.

StubHub also revealed details of its Concert Culture + Consumer survey, conducted by YouGov, which indicates that consumers as a whole are prioritising live events, especially Gen Z. More than half of Gen Z (60%) said they would skip a major life event, such as the birth of a family member or planned vacation, to see their favourite artist perform live in the front row.

The data also highlighted the growing link between live events and travel. Some 24% of Gen Z and Millennials plan to see a live event or concert when going on vacation. This trend was evident in Taylor’s Swift’s Eras tour, with 50% of StubHub buyers for her international dates coming from the US.

“We’ve never seen a summer like this in our history and we can, without a doubt, contribute this to Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. We are seeing the top female artists commanding higher ticket prices,” said Adam Budelli, spokesperson for StubHub.

“People are rediscovering the value of experiencing a show as a community with other fans – our survey found that 26% of people said their first concert was a better memory than their first kiss or first job.”

Further data compiled from the survey includes that 78% of respondents prefer to put their phone down when their favourite song plays at a concert and live in the experience, rather than record it to be able to watch later.