This is an increase of 36% on 2022 , when 13.3 million people were travelling the UK to see their favourite singers and bands.
Big festivals such as Glastonbury in Somerset, Boomtown in Hampshire and TRNSMT in Glasgow also contributed to the figures, UK Music said.
This summer has seen major festivals and events take place across Scotland with Hampden recently hosting shows by the Foo Fighters and Pink. Taylor Swift also enjoyed a three night run of sold out shows in Edinburgh.
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The three performances saw thousands of Swifties stream into the city and City of Edinburgh Council leader Cammy Day said: “These sell-out shows brought huge and wide-ranging benefits to the city – reflected both in terms of the estimated up to £77m it contributed to the local economy, but also as a further boost to our global reputation as a great place to live, work and visit.”
City of Edinburgh Council leader Cammy Day said Swift’s performances – the largest stadium shows ever seen in Scotland – were a “fantastic start to an incredible summer of culture in the capital”.
However, foreign music tourism suffered a slight drop in 2023 as it went from 1.053 million people to 1.014 million people.
Total music tourism spent in 2023 was £8 billion, which is an increase of 21% on 2022 when the figure was £6.6 billion.
However, the industry has warned that smaller acts have not been reaping the rewards of this success.
UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl said: “While music generates huge benefits for our local areas, beyond a handful of very successful musicians the opportunities for many artists are becoming increasingly squeezed.
“Grassroots music venues and festivals, studios and rehearsal spaces are facing tough economic pressures, and it’s vital that the music ecosystem that enables musicians and artists to perform is supported to ensure that everyone – no matter where they live – can have access to music.
“We’re looking forward to working with the new Government to ensure that all our towns and cities have thriving music ecosystems that support the growth of the industry – generating thousands more jobs, boosting economic growth and making their areas even more attractive to visitors.”
The news breaks as plans for a new arena venue in Scotland’s capital continue to take shape. The 8,500-capacity, £80 million AEG Arena in Edinburgh will see another option for touring shows, joining other large scale venues in Scotland, namely Glasgow’s OVO Hydro, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and, the home of Scottish football, Hampden Stadium as destinations of choice.
Large scale gigs have, however, impacted on smaller shows at celebrated Scottish music venues.
The Music Venue Trust (MVT), which represents hundreds of the UK’s local music venues, previously said that grassroots venues have experienced their “worst year” for closures in a decade last year when 125 spaces stopped staging live performances. This has led to calls for a levvy on large shows and concerts which would directly go towards sustaining and supporting low capacity venues.
The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) has also reported that 50 UK festivals have completely closed or been postponed or cancelled for 2024.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “The UK’s thriving music industry continues to be one of our most powerful global exports and an important driver of economic growth.
“In towns and cities across the country, the music industry provides entertainment, employment and inspiration to millions.
“This Government will work hard to ensure our creative industries get the support they need to flourish, driving opportunity and economic growth into every community and inspiring the next generation of performers.”
It is expected that Taylor Swift’s new tour will provide a boost to the UK economy and tourist figures.
The US musician is set to return to London in August to finish her European stint of the Eras Tour after playing in the UK and Ireland recently.
Playing across three nights at Murrayfield, her Eras Tour set new records at the stadium with the shows attended by 220,000 fans.
The tour is estimated to be worth up to £1 billion to the UK economy.
