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Is Digital killing off the UK’s live music venues?

Are live UK music venues facing a slow death as more and more artists are being discovered online?

‘Sorry’ star, Justin Bieber, was discovered through his YouTube channel amassing millions of followers and has risen to fame at an astonishing rate. This week, Shawn Mendes topped Bieber at the top of the charts, which may seem perfectly normal… but, Mendes, like Bieber, was also disovered via the digital landscape.

With such a large percentage of artists now being discovered this way what happens to the basement clubs which have been the heartbeat of the music industry for so many years?

The statistics aren’t promising for live venues either. In London, 35% of small venues have shut in the last decade.

One of the UK’s biggest superstars of the music industry who reached fame the more traditional way is Ed Sheeran. Sheeran played hundreds of venues before getting recognition and now sells out global tours at the largest venues in the world.

I personally am guilty of enjoying music through YouTube and other digital platforms, purely because of how easy and accessible it is, and clearly I’m not alone.

So, is there life yet for live music venues or are we be set for merely consuming music online for up-and-coming artists?

Original story here.

PS. The LEVEL Summit, Belfast (11-12 October) will be exploring the latest trends and market dynamics for the live entertainment venue industry – find out more here.

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