A new global study proves it. Researchers found women are the engine behind live music’s biggest growth wave.
A new global study, titled “Her Frequency,” comes from The Collective and THE·TEAM’s Music group. Researchers surveyed nearly 15,000 fans across 12 markets and 18 genres. The goal: map how women participate, spend, and create value across live music today.
What We Know: Live music attendance hit 159 million fans in 2025, up 5%. Women make up 64% of that fandom worldwide, and 89% typically attend shows with others. Beyond the ticket, 54% spend $100 or more on-site, and 83% drive group decisions as planners, stylists, or coordinators. Five distinct fan segments emerged, ranging from Power Fans to Occasional Fans.
What’s At Stake: Women are projected to control nearly $100 trillion in spending by 2048. Yet only 8% of High-Intent Fans say they spend as much as they want at shows. That gap represents real revenue left on the table for venues, festivals, and brands. Meanwhile, 86% would spend more if experiences felt easier and more rewarding.
What Remains Unclear: The report doesn’t quantify exactly how much revenue better logistics could unlock industry-wide. It also stops short of ranking which fixes — travel bundles, comfort upgrades, social tools — move the needle most. Still, genre and market differences add nuance that brands must sort out.
What It Means: Brands, venues, and artists now have a roadmap, not just data. For years, live music built around men’s habits by default. That tide is turning, and the receipts are already in the room. Marriott, Always, and Levi’s prove what happens next: design for her fandom, not just her attendance.
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David Hill serves as a Music Radio Editor, Columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. A radio lifer with more than 30 years behind the mic, in the control room, and in the program director’s chair, David’s career spans influential stops at brands such as WIYY 98 Rock, WBAL-AM, and 99X. He has worked across multiple formats and ownership groups, including iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media, developing talent, breaking music, and navigating every major industry shift from diary to PPM and terrestrial dominance to streaming disruption. When he’s not writing or analyzing the industry, Dave runs The Tune Farm, a marketing firm built to help artists and brands grow audience the same way great radio always has—by creating connection, not just impressions. He can be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com.
