China’s live music boom spreads to smaller cities as consumption drive expands
Local authorities are using big concerts to attract tourists and revenue, part of broader efforts to boost consumption under new five-year plan
Such scenes are no longer unusual. Once the preserve of megacities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, high-profile concerts are now breathing life into lesser-known venues.
Large-scale performances in smaller cities have become increasingly common, according to a report released at the Music China Expo 2025, as reported by Sichuan Daily.
The report – by the Music Industry Promotion Committee of the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association – showed that 45.6 per cent of multi-artist concerts took place in third-tier cities and below in 2025. Lower-tier cities also accounted for more than 40 per cent of China’s total music festivals, it added.
“Consumption downshifting into lower-tier markets is a key component of China’s push to expand domestic demand under the 15th five-year plan,” said Xu Tianchen, senior economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit.