Summer of gigs will boost the economy and show why London is the undisputed capital of music

• Coldplay, Beyoncé, Oasis and Billie Eilish among worldwide stars performing more times in London than anywhere else in the world
• Capital’s major arenas and stadiums welcoming more 3.6m fans over the summer, with fans travelling from across the world
• London attracts 7.5m music fans each year, bringing in £2.7bn in revenue

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today celebrated the capital’s incredible summer of gigs that show why London is the undisputed capital of music.

This Friday, Oasis will become the latest act this year to perform, with more concerts in London than anywhere else in the world. It follows:

• Beyoncé performing six times at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in June;
• Billie Eilish concluding a six-date run at The O2 last week;
• And Usher performing a 10-night residency at The O2 earlier this year.

Next month Coldplay will also start a record run of 10 dates at Wembley Stadium.

Other headlines from the capital’s huge summer of music include Tottenham Hotspur Stadium welcoming Stray Kids and Wembley Stadium hosting BLACKPINK for their only UK performances. BST Hyde Park welcomed more than 500,000 people across its eight sold-out shows, with Noah Kahan playing his largest headline show to date and Zach Bryan and Sabrina Carpenter playing their biggest ever UK shows.

These world-leading runs from global stars show why London welcomes millions of music fans from across the world. UK Music estimates that 7.5m music tourists attended concerts and festivals in London last year, accounting for £2.7bn of the country’s total £10bn revenue.

Recent analysis of concert ticket sales by Live Nation has revealed that 61 per of fans have travelled from across the UK to come to London for gigs so far this summer, with 16 per cent from abroad. Figures from AEG Europe show that the O2 - the world’s busiest live entertainment arena - is on track for its biggest year yet, with 1.4m tickets sold already this year.

London’s 179 grassroots music venues are also hosting a huge range of performances this summer, providing a stage for the next generation of talent and boosting the capital’s economy and nightlife. In the last year, grassroots venues welcomed more than 4.2m audience members, hosted performances by more than 328,000 artists, employed nearly 7,000 people and contributed £313m to the economy.

In May, London united to champion the incredible impact of the capital’s grassroots music scene with the first ever special Grassroots Music Tube Map, which celebrates all aspects of the capital’s music scene and connects Londoners and visitors with grassroots gigs. The Mayor also continues to encourage councils and businesses to offer more al fresco dining and late-night openings this summer to boost our economy and tourism and offer even more hospitality options for those enjoying the fantastic gigs in our capital.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “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. 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. At the same time, our incredible grassroots venues continue to provide a wide range of performances every night of the week for music fans to enjoy. From the very best stadium and festival headliners to upcoming stars at grassroots venues, I’m proud that London’s music scene is leading the way as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”

Justine Simons OBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries, 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!”

Tom Kiehl, Chief Executive of UK Music, said: “London is a global superpower when it comes to the strength and incredibly diversity of our music industry which attracts talent from across the world and draws millions of visitors to the capital. Our latest UK Music figures show that a total of 7.5 million domestic and overseas music tourists came to London in 2024 and spent £2.7 billion enjoying stadium-filling acts like Taylor Swift, festivals like All Points East and British Summer Time and our iconic grassroots venues. The Oasis reunion and Beyoncé tour means that London has another spectacular summer lined up for music fans who deliver a tremendous boost for the capital’s economy by spending in the city’s restaurants, bars and shops to make the most of all that London has to offer. It’s vital that we all continue to celebrate and support the ecosystem that makes up the city’s music scene to deliver jobs, growth and unforgettable experiences for millions of people.”

John Langford, Chief Operating Officer of AEG Europe, said: “We’re experiencing another phenomenal year of success across our portfolio of iconic venues and festivals. In just the first half of this year alone, The O2 arena has sold over 1.4 million tickets and hosted 115 performances — testament to London’s status as the global capital of live music. From legendary, sold-out headliners like Billie Eilish to emerging voices taking the stage for the first time - 25 debut artists in total already - our line-up has celebrated the full spectrum of talent and genres, from rock and pop to metal and beyond. The energy, diversity, and creativity on display truly reflect the spirit of London. As we celebrate The O2’s 18th anniversary and top the Billboard mid-year charts for both shows and attendance, it’s clear: London is not just participating in the global music scene — it’s leading it.”

Denis Desmond, Chairman of Live Nation UK & Ireland, said: “This year marks Live Nation’s busiest summer season ever in the UK with over two million attendees in London alone. The growing demand for events is evident with fans continuing to value live experiences - that feeling of seeing your favourite artist in a crowd alongside 90,000 people is unlike anything else. This summer we’re particularly pleased to see artists that we’ve worked with since the beginning of their careers, like Beyonce, Dua Lipa, Imagine Dragons, Kendrick Lamar, Lana Del Rey, Post Malone, Guns N Roses, and Coldplay all performing at stadium level.”

James Barton, co-founder of Superstruct - the London-based live entertainment group behind events including Field Day, Mighty Hoopla and Cross The Tracks - said: “London remains the most significant and influential music city in Europe with its diversity giving rise to an unprecedented range of festivals catering to different musical tastes. That gives incredible opportunities for artists and music fans and has led to the development of a rich ecosystem of suppliers and technical expertise, supporting thousands of jobs.”

Kate Nicholls, Chair of UK Hospitality, said: “This year's summer of music shows that London is the best place in the world to see your favourite musicians and bands, with millions flocking to shows across the capital. The additional visits to pubs, bars and restaurants from show-goers will deliver a huge boost to hospitality businesses and shows the impact live music can have on the wider economy.”