Contemplating whether you should buy that concert ticket? Consider it an act of self-care.
If you love going to live shows, there’s a scientific reason why concerts are superior to recording music. In short, live music has a stronger emotional hold on our brains than recorded music.
According to a 2024 study from the National Institute of Health, live music puts our brains in an emotional trance. Live vocals, instruments, and audience feedback contribute to the emotionally energetic experience.
The study measured brain activity in listeners’ amygdala (a part of the brain that processes emotion). Compared to recorded music, listening to live music resulted in an increased “neural network” for processing emotion.
And it’s not just live vocals. Listening to live piano produced “significantly higher and more consistent amygdala activity.”
Additionally, live music “stimulated a dense functional neural network” placing the amygdala as a “central node influencing other brain systems.” Live music also showed a “strong and positive” connection between different parts of the music performance and brain activity.
So, if you’re feeling down, going to a concert can lift your mood. And now’s a great time to take in a show, or two.
Five years after the touring industry got sidelined by the pandemic, live shows are officially rebounding. 2025 will be a “historic year for live music,” according to Michael Rapino, President and CEO of Live Nation.
“2025 is shaping up to be a historic year for live music, with a strong start having us on track to deliver double-digit growth in operating income and AOI this year,” Rapino said in a statement about Live Nation’s Q1 earnings. “As more artists tour the world, fan demand is reaching new heights across ticket sales, show attendance, and on-site spending. Ticket sales are pacing well ahead of last year, with deferred revenue for both concerts and ticketing at record levels.”
Live Nation’s concert event-related revenue hit $5.4 billion, up 24% compared to last year. Ticketmaster made $270 million, up 13% from last year.
The touring season is already off to a big start. Beyoncé Shakira, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and SZA are some of the major acts on tour.
Season 9 