UTA Study: “Optimizing The Virtual Experience May Be Critical To The Future Of Live Music”

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According to a new study commissioned by United Talent Agency, 90% of concert-goers have actively sought to replace the live music experience while they have been under quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study, which was completed by UTA’s data and analytics team UTA IQ, in conjunction with SightX, is titled “Media and Entertainment in the Time of Coronavirus,” and surveyed 1,100 random respondents.

Of those surveyed, more than 25% said they had attended a livestreamed concert or music performance, a virtual movie night/watch party, a virtual fitness class or a virtual event/conference.

Artists’ music catalogs have also seen an uptick, as 55% of those surveyed said they are streaming catalog content from their favorite artists and 48% say they have watched footage of old performances and/or concerts.

Music fans also seem receptive to paid livestreams as 28% of the responders say they have paid to watch a livestream, while 7 out of 10 of survey responders who participated in a livestream concert while social distancing say they plan to continue doing so even after they return to live music events.

The study concluded, “Prior to COVID-19, the appetite for virtual concerts was limited. Now, optimizing the virtual experience may be critical to the future of live music. Music tech companies have quickly begun to legitimize the livestream business through ticketing and offering community-based features that hope to replicate the shared experience of attending a live event.”