Report: One in six attended UK dance event in last three years

The UK’s EDM scene is becoming more mainstream, with over 10 million (16%) having attended at least one dance event in the last three years. About 80% plan to visit an EDM gig in the UK next year.

So pervasive is its lifestyle that fans are digging the music until a later age, tend to attend far more music events than the generation population, and are increasingly taking to making their own music in their bedrooms.

Ticketmaster’s State of Play: Dance Music report was produced by its LiveAnalytics division in partnership with music and entertainment consultancy FRUKT and endorsed by AFEM: Association for Electronic Music

It surveyed 4,934 members of the British public, including 1,017 dance event attendees. The study touches on a wide range of topics, including the rapid rise of the amount of dance festivals, consumer behaviour, preferences, ticket sales, the age group and spend of EDM followers, their source of discovery (usually social media, mostly Facebook) and their views on which brands they’d embrace at a dance music event.

The number of UK dance festivals has risen by 500% in the last 15 years. In 2000, there were seven EDM-specific festivals. This year there have been 35.

With their offering a sensory experience and community different from other type of events, 29% of those who frequent mainstream festivals have started to attend EDM events.

EDM fans are attending events well into their late 30s. The bulk (71%) of attendees at EDM events are under 35. Those aged 30 and above make up 44% while the over-40s make up 16%. They spend £20 – £50 on an average night at a dance event

16 – 24 year olds are most likely to attend club events, with a quarter (25%) of this demographic having been to one or more of those events. 25– 29 year olds have a greater tendency to go to Ibiza (11%) and those aged 20 – 24 are the most likely to go to dance festivals (24%).

Dance clubs are the most popular destination (60% of attendees), followed by 56% to beach clubbing destinations and 51% to festivals. Of those going to beach events, 46% had made the pilgrimage to Ibiza.

Calvin Harris is the UK’s favourite DJ and London’s Fabric the most popular nightclub. Harris got the nod from 11% of respondents. He was followed by David Guetta (8%), Avicci (5%), Tiësto (4%) and Fatboy Slim (2%).

Those who attend dance music events are three times more likely to have also attended a music festival in the last year (63% vs 23% of the overall population). They are also almost twice more likely to have attended a music concert or gig in the last year than the overall population (78% vs 42%).

12% of the respondents who had not attended a dance event, cited they didn’t like the music, or didn’t like big crowds or felt too old at such events.

Most (60%) of EDM fans will tolerate brand sponsorship of an event but only if it keeps ticket prices down. 57% accept corporations allow EDM events to stay afloat financially. 39% appreciate corporate brands which provide technology (apps, mobile chargers) that increases their event experience.

Drinks brands are the most accepted, then clothing and electronic hardware. 42% reckon giveaways and freebies are the best way to add value to an event. Other ways for brands to connect with EDM audiences are with exclusive live music content (38%) and delivering VIP experiences (36%).

Mark Lawrence, CEO of the Association for Electronic Music, says: “Thanks to Ticketmaster, finally we have a powerful study of dance music in the UK, which highlights that the dance floor is still a huge part of our culture.

”‘The release of this report is a pivotal moment; providing an insight into our community and educating the wider media and music industry on the value of, and the values within, dance music today.”

Ticketmaster Vice President of Insight Sophie Crosby points out, “The report shows that dance culture in the UK is not only in rude health — it is truly evolving and is firmly part of the mainstream. It’s encouraging to see dance music becoming more accessible to the wider public with people of all ages and tastes enjoying what is on offer.”

James Barton, President of Electronic Music for Live Nation, sums up: “For every great super club, for every great superstar DJ, there is a kid in his bedroom trying to knock us off our perch. This generation is a generation of technology…and dance music is created with technology. The genre is always reinventing itself…it will continue to grow and evolve.”