Max SteventonLondon will host more concerts by major acts than anywhere else in the world this summer, according to the Greater London Authority (GLA).
“This summer, some of the world’s biggest music stars are performing more times in London than anywhere else, showing why we are the undisputed capital of music,” said mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
The capital’s arena and stadium will welcome more 3.6m fans over the summer, according to the GLA. Among the blockbuster show runs are seven nights at the 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium by Oasis, commencing Friday 25 July, and Coldplay’s 10-night residency at the north London venue kicking off in August. Among the many other high-profile artists to play multiple shows in the city this summer are Beyoncé, with six sold-out nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in June, and Usher who completed a 10-night residency at The O2 (cap. 20,000).
The GLA pointed to recent analysis of concert ticket sales by Live Nation which shows that 61% of fans have travelled from across the UK to come to London for gigs so far this summer, with 16% travelling from abroad. Meanwhile, figures from AEG Europe show that The O2 is the world’s busiest live entertainment arena and is on track for its biggest year yet, with 1.4 million tickets sold already in 2025.
The growth in London reflects wider live music success in the rest of the UK. According to UK Music Music tourism has steadily increased post-Covid with 2024 seeing a 26% rise from 2023.
The GLA said it is not just the arena and stadium shows that are contributing to the London economy. Grassroots venues, despite struggles in recent years, attracted 4.2m music fans in the last year which made a £313m contribution to the UK economy.
“Our world-renowned venues are drawing more than 3.6m people to enjoy unforgettable experiences and boost our hospitality industry, from Beyoncé’s exclusive performances at the Tottenham Stadium and Billie Eilish’s six-night run at the O2 to Coldplay’s upcoming dates at Wembley Stadium,” said Khan.
London’s deputy mayor for culture and creative industries Justine Simons OBE said, “From tens of thousands singing along to their favourite chorus to intimate crowds discovering a new act for the very first time, music has incredible power to bring people together. Nowhere else is that shown more clearly than in London where this summer music-fans can unite to enjoy so many genres of music across a huge variety of venues. There really is something for everyone!”