Live Music Surpasses Movies and Sports as Global Leading Entertainment, Latin Stars Drive Cultural Shift
Live music has overtaken movies and sports as the top entertainment globally, driven significantly by Latin superstars like Shakira, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin.
- • Live music is now the world's favorite entertainment, preferred by 39% globally, surpassing movies and sports according to Live Nation.
- • Concert tourism is booming, expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2032, with major growth in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
- • Shakira sold over one million tickets in Mexico alone during her Latin America tour, while Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rico residency generated a $200 million economic impact.
- • The Hollywood Reporter’s Latin Power List 2025 highlights Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and Cardi B as leading cultural influencers in the Latin music scene.
- • There is a notable shift towards real-life experiences, with 93% favoring live events over digital entertainment, and 80% prioritizing spending on experiences over material goods.
Key details
Live music has emerged as the world's favorite form of entertainment, surpassing the popularity of cinema and sports, according to Live Nation's latest study titled "Living for Live." Surveying 40,000 people across 15 countries, the report reveals that 39% of respondents would choose live music as their sole form of entertainment for life, underscoring its dominant appeal. In 2024 alone, fans traveled the equivalent of 83,000 trips to the Moon to attend concerts, highlighting the significant draw of live performances.
The study emphasizes live concerts as impactful life experiences, comparable to graduations or weddings, with 70% of attendees planning trips around music events and half choosing their outfits weeks in advance. This has contributed to the booming concert tourism industry, which is projected to reach $1.5 billion by 2032. Notably, Europe, Asia, and Latin America have seen over a 30% increase in live event attendance. Latin music artists play a pivotal role in this trend—Shakira’s "Las mujeres ya no lloran" tour sold more than one million tickets in Mexico alone, while Bad Bunny’s residency in Puerto Rico generated an economic impact of approximately $200 million.
Latin music’s global influence extends beyond live shows. According to The Hollywood Reporter’s Latin Power List 2025, artists like Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and Cardi B epitomize the genre's cultural significance worldwide. The list celebrates these artists not only for their musical achievements but also for asserting Latin identity in a complex US political landscape. Bad Bunny, placed fourth on the list and holder of 12 Latin Grammy nominations, showcases a groundbreaking artistic persona with his latest album and upcoming world tour, including a Super Bowl halftime show appearance. J Balvin’s recent return and Cardi B’s upcoming tours further exemplify Latin music’s vitality and broad appeal.
The rise of live music and particularly Latin artists signals a generational preference for authentic experiences over digital, with 93% favoring real-life engagements and 80% willing to invest in experiences rather than material goods. This cultural shift is reshaping global entertainment, reinforcing live music as an unmatched force in bringing people together worldwide.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.