Asia Pop Represents a ‘Huge Untapped Market’ for ANZ: Live Nation Report
The rise of Asia Pop in these parts has been nothing short of “meteoric,” and it’s only just begun.
That’s the message behind Live Nation’s fan insights study “Future Sound,” presented Wednesday morning (Sept. 4) during BIGSOUND 2024 in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.
This year is the biggest yet for Asia Pop, according to Live Nation, with a 600% increase in the number of live shows reported from across the myriad music styles since 2015, and, at the same time, a 275% spike in the number of artists passing through.
Meanwhile, TikTok Australia reports 61 million K-views in the past 12 months for K-Pop – one of many genres under the umbrella of Asia Pop, which includes J-Pop, C-Pop, Mandopop, Thai Pop, and City Pop.
Among respondents, 100% demand more Asian Pop live experiences in Australia, the study finds, with trends among this audience pointing to a preference for non-English speaking music despite English being the dominant language at home.
“What we’re seeing is not a new phenomenon; it has been an undercurrent in our musical landscape for years, only now receiving the widespread recognition it deserves,” comments Wenona Lok, Asia Pop promoter and talent buyer at Live Nation Australasia.
“Asia Pop has transcended its niche status and exploded into mainstream fandom, fostering deep connections between fans and artists through social content, dance and fashion to name a few.”
Stray Kids
The ANZ audience size is blowing up, the fans are young and diverse, and trends emerging from Asia Pop are shaping society, Erica Valenti, senior creative, marketing and communications director told a breakfast gathering at Marquee, which served as the launch for LN’s report.
“It’s a huge untapped market,” she explained, pointing to SBS’s first broadcast of PopAsia in 2011 as ground zero in the movement.
Since LN brought out BIGBANG for a tour in 2015, “the appetite in the Asia Pop community has just grown and grown,” she said.
More than one third of respondents to the study identified as Asian (37.4%), while Gen Z are said to be big-time stans.
Australia has a deeper connection with some of the biggest names in Asia Pop, with the likes of Danielle and Hanna from NewJeans, Rose from BLACKPINK, BangChan and Felix from Stray Kids, actor and singer Darren Qiu, and Cantopop singer Cecilia Cheung, all of whom boast roots in Australasia.