Live accounts for nearly two-thirds of the Danish music industry’s DKK 16.3 billion (€2.2bn) annual contribution to the economy, according to a new study.

The newly published report, entitled The Music Industry’s Contribution to the Danish Economy 2025, was carried out by HBS Economics on behalf of Dansk Live, Gramex, Koda, MXD, Musikforlæggerne and IFPI Denmark.

It concluded that live music accounts for DKK 10.2 billion (€1.4bn) of the industry’s GDP contribution, due mainly to “activities arising from festivals and concerts”, based on 2023 figures.

“It is gratifying to have documented the great contribution of live music to society and the importance of the work of concert and festival organisers for both cohesion and settlement in local areas throughout the country,” says Esben Marcher, director of trade body Dansk Live. “It is therefore crucial that the country’s live scenes can continue to be the economic engine of the music scene – without development being slowed down by unnecessary bureaucracy.”

Other findings included that music exports contribute DKK 1.7bn (€227.9m) annually to GDP, of which DKK 1.1bn (€147.5m) comes from exports of live music and DKK 600m (€80m) from exports of recorded music.

“It is absolutely crucial that we cherish and protect the Danish music industry”

The music industry, which contributes DKK 7.1 billion (€951.9m) to the treasury annually through income and corporate taxes, is responsible for creating 6,600 jobs in the capital, 2,400 jobs in Central Denmark and 1,900 jobs in Southern Denmark.

“It is absolutely crucial that we cherish and protect the Danish music industry – especially in a time when artificial intelligence and big tech are challenging the fundamental structures of music creation, copyright and earnings,” adds Gorm Arildsen, CEO of collection body Koda. “If we want to maintain and develop an industry that contributes over 16 billion kroner to GDP every year, it requires political action that can help ensure proper framework conditions for the professional music industry.”

Earlier this year, Copenhagen-based research institute Voxmeter predicted that Denmark’s venues and festivals will welcome 2.65 million fans this year. The forecast was based on the findings from a survey, which showed the number of fans planning to attend a concert this year was up three percentage points on the previous year, while interest in festivals was up by seven percentage points.

In addition, Statistics Denmark’s report on live music noted that the total number of guests at festivals from 2022 to 2023 increased from 2.39 million to 2.47m.

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The live music world is coming to terms with US president Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, amid fears of an impending global trade war.

Stocks took a hit and the dollar plunged to a six-month low in the wake of the American commander-in-chief’s announcement of a “baseline” 10% tax on all imports into the US, to be applied on every country from this Saturday (5 April).

The European Union faces a 20% tariff, while higher rates of up to 50% will be imposed on dozens of other countries dubbed the “worst offenders” by the president. Trump declared yesterday (2 April) as “Liberation Day” when confirming his plans – which he insists will make America rich again – during a 50-minute speech at the White House.

Meanwhile, with Trump having raised levies on Chinese imports to 20% last month, China’s new 34% rate means it will now face a combined total tariff of 54%.

Although the full implications for the international touring business remain to be seen, there are expectations the tariffs will impact equipment manufacturers and production equipment in particular, with  increased costs for goods such as building materials, as well as technology, F&B and merchandise.

“This ‘tariff war’ just started – let’s see where it goes and how long it lasts”

Agent Jarred Arfa, EVP, head of global music, for Los Angeles-headquartered Independent Artist Group (IAG) admits to concerns.

“I do worry that tariffs here in America will lead to further inflation on basic goods and services, leaving less discretionary income for entertainment like concerts,” he tells IQ. “There is just a lot of uncertainty in the economy now, which will have a negative impact on consumer sentiment. Hopefully, this is all short lived.”

Phil Rodriguez, boss of Miami, Florida-headquartered Latin music promoter Move Concerts, argues it is too early to gauge the impact on touring.

“Common sense would dictate that if prices go up, this will result in less disposable income and this may have a detrimental impact on fans buying tickets,” he surmises. “But it really is way too early to be certain of anything. This ‘tariff war’ just started – let’s see where it goes and how long it lasts.”

President of Toronto-based BAM! Baird Artists Management Consulting Robert Baird observes that Trump’s tariffs “have sent the world economy reeling”.

“That cannot be good for the arts,” says Baird, a former president of North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents (NAPAMA). “A depressed economy will mean less disposable income and that will hurt the box office. Global tariffs will result in higher prices and higher prices will mean that global touring will be more expensive. And the profit margins for most artists are slim already, so decreased touring is imminent.

“Add all of this to the political climate in America and we see a narrowing of the possibilities for touring to North America for foreign artists.”

“I fear that a global trade war will affect the amount of US bands that tour Europe”

Offering a European view, Esben Marcher, director of Danish live music trade body Dansk Live, points to several potential results of the tariffs.

“Production costs, which have been on the rise since after Covid, will most likely grow, making it more expensive for all organisers and promoters to set up shows or festivals,” he contends. “The way US bands tour will probably be affected in some way, too. To my knowledge the Trump administration is aiming for tariffs on goods, not services, but I fear that a global trade war will affect the amount of US bands that tour Europe.”

Marcher adds, however, that his greatest concern is how the tariffs will affect the overall economy and the purchasing power of the audiences.

“In a situation with rising tickets prices as a result of higher production cost and high inflation, I fear that the positive development we have experienced in the last couple of years will come to a end,” he contends.

Last month, the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) projected the tariffs would lead to global growth slowing to 3.1% in 2025 and 3% in 2026, while revising its inflation forecast upwards by 0.3 percentage points to 3.8%, compared to its Economic Outlook in December.

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A record year is projected for the Danish touring industry, as venues and festivals are tipped to welcome 2.65 million fans.

The forecast from Copenhagen-based research institute Voxmeter is based on findings from a recent survey, which showed the number of fans planning to attend a concert this year was up three percentage points on the previous year, while interest in festivals was up by seven percentage points.

In addition, Statistics Denmark’s report on live music notes that the total number of guests at festivals from 2022 to 2023 increased from 2.39 million to 2.47m.

Moreover, trade body Dansk Live reports that several of its members say ticket sales have continued on an upward trajectory and are even higher than expected in some cases, with a number of 2025 events already sold out.

“It is very positive that concerts and festivals are something that Danes will also prioritise in 2025”

“Several of our members say that ticket sales are going really well, both at the festivals and at many of the concert venues, which have otherwise had a bit more difficulty getting ticket sales going after the decline in connection with corona and the energy crisis,” says Dansk Live director Esben Marcher. “Overall, we can see that Danes are currently spending more money on experiences than before, and it is very positive that concerts and festivals are something that Danes will also prioritise in 2025.”

Nevertheless, with production costs, artist fees and general operating costs having increased drastically in recent times, Marcher suggests the business is not out of the woods yet.

“Economically, the market is probably still in an imbalance after the two years of cancellations. And a market with increasing demand for concert and festival tickets naturally results in a correspondingly high demand for equipment and artists, so it is only natural that the costs of subcontractors increase.

“For many organisers, however, it can be a challenging time with great uncertainty in budgeting, and although there is fortunately great support among the audience, as an organiser you must act with great caution in budgeting.”

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Danish trade body Dansk Live has praised the country’s government for easing regulatory burdens for festivals.

The government is launching eight initiatives aimed at removing bureaucracy for associations as part of its “first blow” against unnecessary regulations, the Ministry of Culture has announced.

One of the goals under the scheme is to enable festivals to obtain multi-year permits for events, rather than the current system of applying for the same permit every year.

Dansk Live director Esben Marcher hails the announcement as “really good news” for the sector.

“It is an area that has caused many problems, especially for the many volunteer-run festivals, and we are very happy that we have been listened to,” he says. “We have met great responsiveness and understanding of the problem from the Minister of Culture, and it is positive that he has stuck to limiting regulatory burdens as one of his focus areas.”

“Organisers will hopefully be spared unnecessary trouble and will be able to focus more on creating good cultural and musical experiences”

The proposal also focuses on more technical challenges, while an initiative for joint guidance will help organisers navigate complicated building regulations more easily.

“It may not sound like a big deal with such a guide, but it will make a huge difference for the organisers and especially their cooperation with the municipalities and authorities, where a guide can facilitate the interpretation of the complicated legal requirements,” says Marcher. “This means that the organisers will hopefully be spared unnecessary trouble and will be able to focus more on creating good cultural and musical experiences.”

The initiatives are the first wave of a larger government effort to challenge the current “troublesome and bureaucratic” rules  and make it easier to be active in an association.

“The associations and the volunteer zealots form the foundation of our democracy,” adds culture minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt. “That is why it is shocking that the amount of counter-paving and paperwork has become so violent that it threatens the commitment of the volunteers.

“We have been talking for far too long that we must do away with the many rules that strain the voluntary work. Now is the time for action. That is why the government is launching a broad and significant effort to break down the tyranny of rules. We are already starting to, among other things, make it easier to hold, for example, markets and small festivals and clear out permits and paperwork for events held every year.”

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The Danish concert business has bounced back to near pre-pandemic attendance levels according to newly released figures, but several venues say they have suffered a drop in ticket sales.

The latest publication by Statistics Denmark reveals the number of concertgoers reached 7.4 million in 2022 – close to the 7.5m and 8.2m reported in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The total had dipped to 2.8m in the Covid-ravaged years of 2020 and 2021, according to data registered with national collection society KODA.

While trade body Dansk Live welcomes the positive momentum, it notes that several of its members have reported a downturn in ticket sales, with the situation remaining unchanged as of spring 2023.

“It bodes very well for the future in the live sector and shows that we have come back well after a few years which hit the organisers hard”

“It is very good news that the figures for 2022 are so positive,” says Dansk Live director Esben Marcher. “It bodes very well for the future in the live sector and shows that we have come back well after a few years which hit the organisers hard. However, we must not forget that there are still venues that experienced challenges in ticket sales as recently as spring 2023.”

In 2019, Denmark’s regional venues had 700,000 fans for 4,600 concerts, compared to 530,000 guests at 3,900 gigs last year. The same trend applied to the country’s other venues, where there were 850,000 concertgoers at 6,900 shows in 2019, which fell to 630,000 guests at 4,400 concerts in 2022.

The country’s music festivals fared better, however, attracting 1.3m guests in 2022, up slightly from 1.2m in the last pre-pandemic year.

“We hope that the concertgoers really return to the places that have experienced the number of visitors as sluggish”

“We hope that the concertgoers really return to the places that have experienced the number of visitors as sluggish, and that they too can again reach the same level as before corona,” adds Marcher. “In any case, we will follow developments closely.”

A previous Statistics Denmark study indicated the number of young people attending concerts in the country has increased significantly on pre-pandemic levels. The Culture Habit Survey showed that one in four of the population attended a gig in the second quarter of 2022, with 38% coming from the youngest age group (16-24 years) – up from 25% in 2019.

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Danish trade body Danish Live is launching a climate calculator to help event organisers reduce their environmental footprint.

The innovation allows users to make calculations in the areas of waste, water, transport and energy, measuring consumption and optimising potential solutions from year-to-year.

“There are now many different climate calculators out there, but they are often very complicated or based on international emission factors,” says Søren Stochholm of developer World Perfect. “Dansk Live’s climate calculator is made very simple, and it is based on the Danish emission factors. This means that it is much easier for the smaller players to start measuring, and that the results are more accurate.

“Over time, the climate calculator can of course be developed so that it will give an even more accurate picture, but for now it is a bid for a common and simple way to learn more about the industry’s total CO2 footprint.”

“This calculator, which can be used freely by members of Dansk Live, makes it easy to get started with the absolutely necessary work”

Stochholm ran a webinar for Dansk Live members last week, giving an introduction on how to use the climate calculator.

“Several larger organisers in the membership have developed their own monitoring methods, but not everyone has the opportunity to have their own made or has the resources to acquire one,” says Esben Marcher, head of secretariat at Dansk Live. “This calculator, which can be used freely by members of Dansk Live, makes it easy to get started with the absolutely necessary work. The calculator is targeted at all types of organisers and can also be used by the venues.

“Now the organisers have to start using the calculator, but it could be exciting if we could create an overview of the industry’s overall climate impact in the various areas and the potential for improvements across the industry.”

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The number of young people attending concerts in Denmark has increased significantly on pre-pandemic levels according to a new study.

Statistics Denmark’s latest Culture Habit Survey shows that one in four of the population attended a gig in the second quarter of 2022, with 38% coming from the youngest age group (16-24 years) – up from 25% in 2019.

Esben Marcher, head of secretariat at trade body Dansk Live, says the development bodes well for the future of the live music business.

“The youngest concertgoers are the audience that helps to ensure that we develop as organisers,” he says. “That the young people, after several years largely without concerts and live music, are so strongly represented among the audience at festivals and at concerts, bodes extremely well for the future of live music.

“The figures from Statistics Denmark confirm that the desire for concerts and festivals is there”

“There has generally been a lot of talk about the youngest group of concertgoers during and after corona. Both the cultural actors themselves, but also the media, have discussed whether young people want to go to concerts after corona, and whether they can even figure it out.

“The festival season has shown us that young people know how to behave, and the figures from Statistics Denmark confirm that the desire for concerts and festivals is there. Overall, it’s really good news.”

The only age group with lower consumption was the 45-54-year-old category, which fell four percentage points compared to the same three-month period in 2019. However, Marcher stresses the positive numbers are not necessarily a sign that all is well in the industry.

“Many venues are currently experiencing that ticket sales are lower than before corona and that audiences are buying their tickets very late,” he says. “The picture is very mixed, but the tendency at many venues is that the big and well-known names can sell tickets well, but that the audience commits very late, while concerts with the new and slightly smaller names do not have the same search as before corona.”

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Dansk Live is on the lookout for a new chair following the resignation of longtime board member Lars Månsson Sloth.

Sloth, who has also stepped down from his position at music organisation Gimle, joined the board at the Danish trade body in 2012 and has served as chair since 2018.

“Lars has been of great importance to the association’s development in recent years, and his routine and his friendly and calm disposition will be missed,” it says a statement.

“Lars was a great support to the secretariat’s work”

Esben Marcher, head of secretariat at Dansk Live, credits Sloth for his crisis management work during the pandemic.

“The dialogue between the board and the secretariat of Dansk Live is very close, and my collaboration has been particularly close with Lars,” says Marcher. “Lars has helped to move Dansk Live as an association – both organisationally and politically.

“Lars was a great support to the secretariat’s work, not least during the corona crisis, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him many times for the cooperation”

Deputy chair Søren Eskildsen will take over temporarily until a permanent replacement is found.

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Ticket sales for many festivals in Denmark this summer are on a par with pre-Covid levels, according to promoters.

Events including Roskilde Festival, Smukfest and Copenhell are already sold out, with a number of others reporting near sell-outs.

Dansk Live adds that ticket sales are also booming at Northside and Tinderbox, with both on course to break their previous records.

“In terms of sales, both festivals are going great,” says Pernille Høll, head of marketing at Down the Drain, which runs the two festivals. “Northside gets its second or best year in history. Tinderbox gets its best.”

“It is extremely nice to see that the audience is once again looking for the community around live music”

Elsewhere, Jelling Music Festival is also on track for an impressive comeback.

“We can clearly see that people are really looking forward to getting on the grass again,” says co-founder and manager Lars Charlie Mortensen. “We see this clearly in ticket sales. People buy all kinds of tickets at the moment – both day tickets and for the whole festival, and we expect to get a full house.”

Dansk Live’s head of secretariat Esben Marcher is delighted with how the market is rebounding.

“We can only interpret the high sales figures as meaning that the audience still loves live music,” he says. “After some hard years for all live organisers, it is extremely nice to see that the audience is once again looking for the community around live music.”

“It is unfortunately no surprise that the younger target groups are not yet fully involved”

While Nibe Festival manager Peter Møller Madsen reports similarly strong sales, he observes that teenagers have been slower to buy tickets than in the pre-pandemic era – a trend he attributes to the two-year break.

“They have not inherited the tradition,” he says. “However, we believe that they will probably come, so we are very confident.”

Marcher adds: “Although overall ticket sales at the Danish festivals are doing well, it is unfortunately no surprise that the younger target groups are not yet fully involved. We have been without the great festival experiences for two years, and thus there are two new vintages who have not yet been to a festival, and thus may not be so eager to get tickets. However, that trend will hopefully improve over time.”

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A new report by Dansk Live highlights the exodus of backstage talent from the concert industry as a result of the pandemic.

The Danish trade association surveyed the country’s concert and festival organisers during February and March 2022, with 17.2% reporting they have fewer employees today than in 2019.

Dansk Live says a large number of roles have not been re-occupied since the business returned from the coronavirus shutdown, emphasising there is still work to be done to return the domestic sector to full-strength.

The findings are in line with a trend seen across the international live music industry, with a UNESCO study showing that 10 million jobs had been lost across the international cultural industry during Covid-19.

“The consequences of the pandemic are long-lasting”

“Unfortunately, the survey confirms the trend we have also seen with our international colleagues, namely that there are fewer employees in the live industry now than before corona,” says Esben Marcher, head of secretariat at Dansk Live. “The consequences of the pandemic are long-lasting, and this decline is unfortunately a good example of this.”

Last month, Denmark became the first country in the EU to lift all coronavirus measures. But the organisation warned reopening was “not a silver bullet” as promoters still faced major challenges.

Marcher, who has also warned of low confidence among organisers and suppliers and says it will take time for the “natural caution” to disappear, is echoing UNESCO’s calls for political support to aid the industry’s restart.

“It emphasises that there is still a need for the political side to focus on restarting the music and culture sector, so that, among other things, the live industry can get back on its feet after the corona,” he says.

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