57% Of Australians Had To Choose Between Live Music And Living Costs In 2025

A new report by Tixel and Bolster shows 57% of Australians have had to choose between live gigs and basic living costs in the past year.

The tension between the rising cost of living and Australians’ passion for live music has been laid bare in the 2025 Ticketing State of Play: Behind the Ticket report, released today by Tixel and Bolster.

The report found that nearly three in five (57%) fans have had to choose between attending a gig and paying for daily essentials in the past 12 months. That number jumps to 64% among Gen Z respondents, highlighting the difficult choices younger fans in particular are making to stay connected to live music.

Despite those pressures, Aussies continue to prioritise gigs and festivals. More than 60% of respondents said live events are a priority expense, an increase of 6% year-on-year. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of fans also said they would buy a ticket to see an artist they love even if the price was higher than expected.

“Each year this research reminds us just how complex, emotional, and social ticket buying can be,” said Zac Leigh, CEO and Co-Founder of Tixel. “People are navigating tighter budgets, but they’re also finding creative ways to make live events happen – whether that’s leaning on resale for flexibility, prioritising their favourite artists above all else, or waiting until friends commit before buying.”

The report shows that the lineup remains the biggest driver of purchase decisions, with 91% of fans saying the artist or lineup is their top priority. Support for homegrown talent is also strong, with 82% backing Michael’s Rule to give local artists more opportunities.

Forum Melbourne’s Sally Mather warned of the need to maintain pathways for Australian acts, saying: “If we don’t have support acts and those pathways for artists, we won’t have the next generation of headliners. We want to see the younger generations being as excited about Australian artists as they are with the internationals coming in.”

Discovery is also shifting online. Nearly two in five (39%) fans – and over half of Gen Z (53%) – said they had bought tickets to artists they first discovered via TikTok or Instagram. Social platforms and viral moments are not just driving ticket sales, but influencing how shows are performed and experienced.

That digital shift intersects with pricing. Fans expect to pay around $280 for a camping festival, but the real average is closer to $385. Even so, 60% report spending more on tickets than last year. For many, flexibility through resale is key, with three in four saying it gives them confidence to commit earlier.

“As fans’ behaviours evolve, the industry needs to evolve with them,” added Leigh. “Our mission at Tixel is to make ticketing more transparent, flexible, and fair. By giving people the confidence to commit earlier and ensuring tickets are resold securely between real fans, we’re helping promoters and artists build stronger, more sustainable events.”

Based on 2,774 survey responses from Aussies across every state and territory, the 2025 Ticketing State of Play: Behind the Ticket highlights how Australians are balancing financial strain with a continued appetite for live music – or struggling against rising ticket prices in a landscape where cost of living pressures are making them choose between their favourite band and paying rent.