Music value's right off the scales

MUSIC is a massive contributor to the national economy with the average adult spending almost €1,000 a year on products and services, a new report reveals.

- BY CIARA O'LOUGHLIN

It generates €1 billion annually and employs over 13,400 people, the 2025 Irish Rights Music Organisation's Music Report found.

Streaming services such as Spotify, YouTube Music and Amazon Music are how the majority of people are listening to their favourite artists.

Over half (54%) of Irish adults are subscribed to a streaming service, which costs around €10 a month.

Last year, the Irish public spent €375 million on music streaming services.

However, live events dominate consumer expenditure, generating €786 million annually.

On average, Irish adults spent €757 on music events last year, with concerts in high-capacity venues such as Croke Park or the Aviva Stadium accounting for the largest share at €298.

This was closely followed by music festivals, which drew an average spend of €194.

Many high-profile artists that toured Ireland contributed to the spend, including Taylor Swift and Coldplay, as tickets for these gigs cost anywhere from €100-€200.

The most-anticipated show of 2025 is Oasis' reunion tour, as the Gallagher brothers will take to Dublin's Croke Park on August 16 and 17.