Proving generational differences, according to a new global survey, 70% of music fans would rather go see a live show than have sex.
Can you believe that?
Live Nation’s Living For Life report draws insights from 40,000 people across 15 markets, and it found that concerts have overtaken sports, movies, and sex as the world’s top form of entertainment.
Nearly four in 10 respondents (39 per cent) said they would choose live music over any other entertainment if they could only pick one for life. Movies in theatres came in at 17 per cent and sports at 14 per cent. The survey also shows fans are more than twice as likely to pick a gig by their favourite artist over sex, with 70 per cent choosing concerts and 30 per cent choosing intimacy.
“In 2025 alone, more than 130 million fans have already bought tickets,” the report states. “Stadium attendance has tripled year-over-year, festivals sell out faster than ever, and with 10 or more large-scale venues opening worldwide in 2026, the movement is only accelerating.”
Live Nation notes that music’s dominance isn’t a passing trend. It represents “a cultural reset shifting how people spend their time, shape their identities, connect, and share their stories.” Fans fuel the biggest tours in history, travel across continents, and structure their lives around live music.
The survey also highlights that 93 per cent of people crave real experiences over digital ones, 80 per cent prefer spending on experiences rather than things, 70 per cent plan travel ahead, and half plan their outfits weeks in advance. Three out of four said that traveling to a show makes it more meaningful, and nearly 80 per cent claimed live music strengthens family bonds.
Meanwhile, music’s power over the brain is well documented. A 2024 study found Deftones are the most popular metal band to listen to during sex, and a 2017 study showed music affects the brain in ways similar to sex and drugs.
Interesting, right?
