LIVE - CMU | the music business explained

UK live music spend reached £6.68 billion last year, but challenges remain

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LIVE • 2 min read

UK live music spend reached £6.68 billion last year, but challenges remain

Trade group LIVE has published its annual report providing stats on the UK live music sector, in which consumer spend rose 9.5% to £6.68 billion last year. However, while the upper end of live is booming, those operating at the grassroots are struggling and need more government support…

Chris Cooke • 03 Sep 2025

LIVE calls on government to address Brexit issues, regulate ticket touting and provide more economic support as it sets out six key priorities

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LIVE • 2 min read

LIVE calls on government to address Brexit issues, regulate ticket touting and provide more economic support as it sets out six key priorities

UK live sector trade group LIVE has published an agenda setting out its priorities for 2025, including the issues it will lobby government on. There are the customary calls for more economic support for the live industry, as well as requests relating to Brexit and Martyn’s Law…

Chris Cooke • 23 Jan 2025

NTIA lashes out against minimum wage increase for hospitality sector workers as music industry comments on the budget’s impact

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Budget 2024 • 8 min read

NTIA lashes out against minimum wage increase for hospitality sector workers as music industry comments on the budget’s impact

If you thought you’d managed to tune out the endless droning of budget coverage and analysis, think again. CMU tells you (almost) everything you need to know about this year’s budget, announced yesterday by the UK government…

Sam Taylor • 31 Oct 2024

Live sector provides £6 billion boost to UK economy, but grassroots still in crisis

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LIVE • 3 min read

Live sector provides £6 billion boost to UK economy, but grassroots still in crisis

LIVE has published a report that says live music delivered a £6 billion boost to the UK economy last year. However, the grassroots of the sector is still in crisis. LIVE calls for a VAT cut on tickets, while LIVE member Music Venue Trust has renewed its call for a ticket levy on large-scale shows…

Chris Cooke • 04 Sep 2024

Music industry responds to King’s Speech

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King’s Speech • 3 min read

Music industry responds to King’s Speech

Yesterday the new UK government set out its legislative agenda via the King’s Speech. The music industry has responded, welcoming commitments on EU, devolution, skills and AI. Ministers have also been urged to liaise with industry on planning reform and the Terrorism (Protection Of Premises) Bill…

Chris Cooke • 18 Jul 2024

Results of survey on live music industry freelancers published

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LIVE • 1 min read

Results of survey on live music industry freelancers published

The results of research into live music industry freelancers have been published by trade body LIVE. While there was much positivity about the freelance experience in the sector, the survey found room for improvement in many areas, particularly for younger people, women and non-binary workers…

Andy Malt • 22 May 2024

New guide published on best practice crowd management

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Live industry news including ticketing, venues, festivals and more • 1 min read

New guide published on best practice crowd management

A new guide has been published on best practice crowd management aimed at venues and other hospitality businesses with capacities below 5000. It has been produced "in response to several high-profile incidents resulting in loss of life or serious injury"…

Chris Cooke • 02 Apr 2024

Setlist Podcast: Make big shows fund grassroots music, politicians told

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Setlist • 3 min read

Setlist Podcast: Make big shows fund grassroots music, politicians told

UK politicians hear possible solutions to the grassroots venues crisis, Nirvana logo dispute back in court…

Andy Malt & Chris Cooke • 29 Mar 2024

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Jeremy Hunt • 4 min read

Music industry responds to UK budget

The UK Chancellor Of The Exchequer Jeremy Hunt yesterday announced the government’s latest budget. Numerous music industry organisations have issued responses, welcoming an extension of orchestra tax relief but criticising the continued lack of a reduction in VAT on ticket sales…

CMU • 07 Mar 2024

LIVE Awards celebrates the live music industry

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LIVE Awards • 1 min read

LIVE Awards celebrates the live music industry

The LIVE Awards took place last night, celebrating companies and individuals from across the UK live music industry at a ceremony in London…

Andy Malt • 13 Dec 2023

Live industry welcomes some measures in Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement, but says that more needs to be done to support the sector

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Live industry news including ticketing, venues, festivals and more • 3 min read

Live industry welcomes some measures in Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement, but says that more needs to be done to support the sector

Live music trade bodies have cautiously welcomed UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s autumn budget statement, but have noted several omissions that they say are necessary to support the sector…

Andy Malt • 23 Nov 2023

CMU Digest: YouTube’s voice-cloning announcements, Stability AI audio chief resigns over the company’s fair use position + more

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CMU Digest • 5 min read

CMU Digest: YouTube’s voice-cloning announcements, Stability AI audio chief resigns over the company’s fair use position + more

In this week's digest: YouTube launches a new voice cloning tool; Stability AI’s audio chief resigns over its insistence that training AI is ‘fair use’; Spotify’s new anti-fraud fines are criticised + more…

Chris Cooke • 18 Nov 2023