Despite Record Ticket Prices, Only 17% of Artists Report Increased Gig Fees

According to a survey of 1,700 artists, 54% have reported no change in gig fees, while 29% reported a decrease.

New data from our community highlights a troubling trend in the UK music industry: despite record-high ticket prices for gigs and festivals, most artists are not seeing a corresponding increase in gig fees or touring profits. Our survey of 1,700 band members, solo artists, and DJs found that 54% reported no change in gig fees over the past years, while 29% reported a decrease.

David Martin, CEO of the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), recently coined the term “cost-of-touring crisis” in The Guardian. Our research underscores this crisis, revealing that 88% of touring musicians reported rising costs, with none reporting a decrease. Consequently, 72% of these artists are not making any profit from their tours—48% break even, and 24% operate at a loss. Among those incurring losses, 81% reported a significant impact on their overall income.

Presented with this new research, David Martin highlighted the responsibility of the new government in tackling this crisis:

“This research reconfirms what the Featured Artists Coalition has been saying for some time; artists are facing a cost-of-touring crisis.

In May, Parliament’s Culture Select Committee agreed with us, demanding action from the industry to ensure that artists are directly funded, enabling them to develop and grow our sector. Ultimately, if artists can’t afford to play live, there is no live industry.

The new government must take steps to action the Committee’s recommendations.” - David Martin, CEO, Featured Artists Coalition

Rising touring expenses are well-known. Travel and accommodation were identified as the biggest costs, but these also include venue fees, crew wages, food and drink, and promotion. However, our survey results indicate that gigging—playing shows booked by promoters or festivals—can be just as financially draining.

Only 26% of artists usually turn a profit from gigs, slightly less than the 29% who profit from touring. Regarding gig fees, only 17% of artists have seen an increase, while 54% report stagnant fees, and 29% have seen a decrease. Gig fees for most artists and bands are so minimal that once travel costs are deducted, there’s often nothing or less than nothing left over, suggesting the cost-of-touring crisis might be better named a cost-of-performing crisis.

Papaya Noon, a duo from Cardiff, have been performing their funky, soulful music in venues across the UK since 2021. Though they can report critical success, even counting Snoop Dogg and Missy Elliot among their fans, they mostly play for a financial loss:

“Gig fees have varied so much for us, but the cost of rehearsing, paying musicians, and traveling has increased, so we're mostly at a loss when we play. Musicians are being taken advantage of because we do it for the love of it, which is a shame.” - Papaya Noon, Band

Urma, also from Wales, is only eighteen months into her DJing career. She thinks a big part of the problem is artists’ inability to negotiate fees. Similar to Papaya Noon, her experience is that artists, more than anyone, are expected to be grateful for work, so much so, that they’re not compensated properly:

“One of the biggest obstacles to a decent fee is that no one speaks about what they're paid, and people don't know how to negotiate.

My understanding is that the bar to entry for DJing is lower than ever, but the bar to success, particularly financial success, is higher than ever. This makes it easy for promoters to exploit new talent, particularly female talent.

For my industry, underground electronic music, more and more venues are closing, which makes it harder for promoters to put on events. This is also massively contributing to the issue, particularly for smaller events and local venues.” - Urma, DJ

Moreover, 86% of surveyed artists noted an increase in gig ticket prices—over which they have no control—with 54% reporting a 10-25% rise and 32% observing a 25-50% hike. Yet, 71% of artists felt that these higher prices did not translate into a better show experience for fans.

While ticket price inflation isn’t translating into better pay for artists, their costs are rising, creating an almost impossible situation for musicians. Even those doing well enough to book a headline tour aren’t making money. The harsh reality is that fewer artists can afford to play live at all, with 54% stating they were less likely to tour again after making a loss. The founder of PIRATE.COM warns that this could have a detrimental impact on the UK’s vibrant music scene:

“If the cost-of-touring crisis isn’t addressed, we can expect to see a real impact on the industry at large, where the most exciting new acts are forced to stay at home.” - David Borrie, CEO and co-founder, PIRATE.COM

Artists taking a pragmatic approach to the cost of touring said they’d be looking at playing smaller venues with lower overhead costs, co-headlining tours to split costs with other acts, shortening tours, as well as looking for additional revenue streams from sponsorships and merchandise sales. However, 36% of artists said they were likely to focus on local gigs instead of extended tours.