Return to all postsReturn to all resources
Tickets and Record Sales - Music Industry News

Tickets and Record Sales - Music Industry News

Written by
Abbie Dawson
Published

January 10, 2025

Category
Latest research

Ticket touting and streaming stats...

At Startle, we live and breathe music. We’re on top of new releases, and we like to think we’re pretty on the pulse of what’s going on in the industry. 

2025 has kicked off with some pretty interesting music industry headlines. Let’s deep dive into them. 

Price of resale tickets to be capped under plans to tackle touts

The UK government is proposing measures to cap the resale price of event tickets, aiming to combat ticket touts and ensure fair access for consumers. The plan suggests limiting resale prices to a maximum of 30% above the original ticket value.

Understanding ticket touting

Ticket touting involves purchasing event tickets with the intent to resell them at inflated prices, often exploiting high demand and limited availability. This practice can prevent genuine fans from attending events due to extremely high costs. We’ve seen many cases of this over the last ten years, and we’re sure anyone reading this will have experienced it.

According to analysis by the Competition and Market Authority (CMA), tickets sold on the resale market are typically marked up by more than 50%.

Proposed measures

The government's proposal includes:

  • Price cap: Limiting resale prices to 30% above the original ticket price to prevent excessive markups.
  • Enforcement: Implementing stricter regulations and penalties for those who violate the cap.

Implications for consumers and the industry

If enacted, these measures could:

  • Enhance fairness: Ensure more equitable access to event tickets for all consumers.
  • Reduce exploitation: Deter individuals and organisations from engaging in profiteering through ticket resales.
  • Promote transparency: Encourage legitimate secondary markets to operate within the legal framework, providing consumers with clear information about ticket pricing.

Music fans in the UK spent more on recorded music in 2024 than ever before

The music industry has experienced a significant resurgence, with sales reaching a 20-year high of £2.4 billion, driven by the popularity of streaming services and vinyl records. That overtakes the previous high of £2.2bn, achieved at the peak of CD sales in 2001.

Streaming services

Streaming platforms have revolutionised music consumption, offering vast libraries accessible from anywhere. This convenience has attracted millions of subscribers, contributing substantially to the industry's revenue growth. The Digital Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA) have said subscriptions to services like Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music accounted for almost 85% of the money spent on music last year.

The comeback of vinyl

Vinyl records have made a notable return, appealing to both nostalgic listeners and new audiences seeking tangible music formats. The market for vinyl records grew by 10.5%, with 6.7 million discs sold last year, generating £196m. This revival has played a significant role in boosting overall music sales. 

Impact of major artists

Albums from artists like Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and Coldplay have been instrumental in this sales surge, demonstrating the influence of popular musicians on industry trends.

Heard enough?

Ready to create standout customer experiences? Get in touch to find out how we can use music and tech to help you achieve your goals.

Request a quote
Rotary phone

Heard enough?

Music is powerful, but using it with intention takes skill. Chat to our team today to find out how our behavioural-science backed, curated playlists could help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Woman dancing

Heard enough?

Seeing is believing. Engaging your customers through vibrant visual displays can be a game-changer in your retail or hospitality experience. Chat to our team today to find out how our dynamic digital signage solution could help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Woman's face

Heard enough?

Live sport has been at the heart of many pubs for decades. Chat to our team today to find out how Arena, our automated, all-inclusive sports promotion platform, could help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
People watching sports in a pub

Heard enough?

Your environment is always changing. Chat to our team today to find out how using our invaluable insights to auto-adjust your atmosphere could help you achieve your goals and fine-tune your operations.

Tell me more
Happy woman eating in restaurant

Heard enough?

Replicate a perfectly curated atmosphere across an entire estate, all from a single platform. Chat to our team today to find out how using Studio could help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Technoology

Heard enough?

Creating something so deeply subjective as an atmosphere without a strong understanding of human behaviour is kind of silly. Chat to our team today to find out how behavioural science can be applied to help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
People walking

Heard enough?

Dedicated management, free player replacements, 24/7/365 support… what you want, baby we got it. Chat to our team today to find out how relentless our Relentless Support™ really are.

Tell me more
Man with headphones

Heard enough?

Creating a standout retail experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to create a till ringing atmosphere and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Clothes on rack

Heard enough?

Creating a standout restaurant experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to serve up the perfect atmospheres in your restaurants and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Restaurants kitchen

Heard enough?

Creating a standout coffee shop experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to brew the perfect atmospheres for your cafes and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Cafe

Heard enough?

Creating a standout pub experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and pint-sized tech to create the perfect atmosphere and help get the drinks flowing.

Tell me more
People celebrating in pub

Heard enough?

Creating a standout hotel experience isn’t easy. Check out (or in) how we can use music and tech to create the perfect atmospheres and help you achieve your goals by chatting to our team today.

Tell me more
Restaurant table with cutlery

Heard enough?

Creating a standout gym experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to get your atmospheres into perfect shape and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Gym equipment

Heard enough?

Creating a standout salon experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to create an atmosphere with the perfect finish and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Salon equipment

Heard enough?

Creating a standout office experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to create atmospheres that work as hard as your customers.

Tell me more
Co-working space

Heard enough?

Creating a standout spa experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to create the perfect peaceful atmosphere and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Towels and insense

Heard enough?

Creating a standout ship experience isn’t easy. Chat to our team today to find out how we can use music and tech to create the perfect atmospheres for your cruise ships and help you achieve your goals.

Tell me more
Beach with cruise ship in background
Tickets and Record Sales - Music Industry News

Abbie Dawson

With a degree in Marketing and a Marketing Week Mini MBA in Marketing, Abbie has always had a goal of working with a brand with music in its DNA. Enter: Startle. She is in charge of our marketing activity, making sure to spread the word of Startle to as many brands as possible. When Abbie’s not working, you'll find her vinyl shopping to add to her collection or in the gym picking up heavy things or making enemies with a punching bag.

Say hello on LinkedIn

Hey, we've just met you and this is crazy. But here's our number +44 (0)203 397 7676. So, call us maybe?

  • Number of locations *