Clothes maketh the fan: Why India’s concert boom is music to apparel startups’ ears

The buzz around events such as Coldplay’s India tour, Ed Sheeran’s concert and Diljit Dosanjh’s ‘Dil-Luminati’ collection this year has spurred new business opportunities, shaping consumer trends and driving sales. From limited-edition band tees to streetwear collaborations, brands are leveraging music events to tap into fan-driven spending, cashing in on the cultural moment.

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Ed Sheeran announced his 2025 India tour In December, and Mumbai-based casual wear brand The Souled Store saw a 52.5% increase in its Ed Sheeran sales in December 2024 as compared to November last year, according to the company. Ed Sheeran t-shirts are available for ₹500-1,300 on The Souled Store website.

Merch madness

This year has been a turning point, with concert merchandise sales showing impressive growth, driven by the increasing demand for unique, artist-driven collaborations, Jugal Kansara, chief of staff at The Souled Store, told Mint. The company also collaborated with Jasleen Royal, who opened for Coldplay concerts. 

“His [Ed Sheeran] Mathematics tour collection, featuring limited-edition t-shirts, hoodies, and accessories, was a huge hit. We can clearly see that when music concerts are announced in a country, people tend to buy more merch than business as usual (BAUs),” Kansara said. 

Myntra, one of the largest apparel platforms in the country, has also seen a significant spike in its concert-related merchandise business. “We’ve seen an incredible 3X surge in demand for concert-related merchandise on Myntra year-on-year during the concert season in the country (2023-24 vs 2024-25). This trend is further fueled by global artist tours also coming to India and pop culture’s strong influence on shaping the customer’s fashion choices,” Sharon Pais, chief business officer at Myntra told Mint. 

The collaboration with Diljit Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati Concert merchandise generated 22 million impressions on the app in the lead-up period to his Bengaluru concert, according to Pais.

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Sanjith GS, an engineering student from Bengaluru, missed the chance to buy tickets to a Coldplay concert, but decided to watch the band’s Ahmedabad concert live on the Disney+Hotstar (now JioHostar) app. He was looking for a Coldplay t-shirt and came across multiple sites offering them. “There were a lot of niche platforms selling Coldplay t-shirts but I placed an order for a graphic t-shirt on Myntra as it’s a well-known platform. It was delivered in a few days and I wore it while watching the concert stream,” he said.

The Banyan Tee, a niche platform focused on music and TV shows merchandise, has seen sales on the platform rise 70-100% in 2024-25 from previous years, with some artists reporting even higher figures, according to Nimish Shrivastava, cofounder of the company.

According to EY estimates, music generated around ₹12,000 crore of revenue in 2022, with digital platforms making the highest contribution (47%), followed by broadcast with 36%, film entertainment with 10%, and concerts with 7% or ₹805 crore. While live concerts have always been a revenue generator for artists, they have recently started achieving scale in India.

India’s concert boom

The number of music concerts held across the country is expected to double from more than 8,000 in 2018 to about 16,700 this year, the EY report said, noting that concerts could generate ₹1,000 crore of revenue in 2025. Coldplay’s concerts in Mumbai and Ahmedabad earlier this year drew a staggering 223,000 fans across both cities, with the Ahmedabad show alone attracting over 134,000, making it the largest stadium concert in India to date.

Concert-themed apparel is evolving into a high-growth segment for fashion platforms such as Myntra and niche brands such as The Souled Store, according to Ankur Bansal, managing director, BlackSoil. 

“Beyond merchandise, it’s a cultural phenomenon; fans seek memorabilia that deepens their connection with artists. With India’s live music ticket sales projected to reach $253.89 million by 2025 and the apparel market expected to grow to $171.60 billion by 2034, this category is poised for sustained expansion. Brands that invest in premium, artist-led collections can transform concert fashion into a long-term revenue driver,” he said.

Highly targeted campaigns

With demand increasing, companies are looking at ways to make the best of the opportunity. For instance, The Banyan Tee increased its ad budget and focused on highly targeted campaigns for people who were likely to attend the concerts this year. “We ran strategic ads reminding fans about the merch, creating a sense of excitement and urgency. By leveraging audience insights, retargeting, and interest-based segmentation, we ensured that potential concert-goers saw the merch at the right time, leading to a noticeable boost in sales,” Shrivastava said.

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Winning in this space requires exclusivity, strategic collaborations, and a digital-first approach, according to Bansal. “Brands must leverage social media, turning fans into brand ambassadors through shareable content and influencer campaigns. Omnichannel distribution, such as concert pop-ups, online exclusives, and VIP drops, can drive urgency and demand. By integrating authenticity, scarcity, and community-driven engagement, brands can build a scalable, high-margin business beyond seasonal hype,” he said.

Quick delivery

Notably, Myntra this year enabled the delivery of concert merchandise in 30 minutes for fans in Bengaluru with M-Now, Myntra’s quick-delivery proposition. The Banyan Tee also initiated talks with Adani Airports, Swiggy Instamart, and Flipkart Minutes to ensure delivery of merchandise in 10-15 minutes, but these collaborations didn’t materialise due to time constraints, according to the cofounder.

“We are continuing discussions and exploring ways to make this happen in the future. Additionally, we are working on building direct relationships with bands and artists to collaborate on exclusive concert merch for upcoming events, ensuring fans get official and high-quality products at the right time,” Shrivastava said.

Also read | Coldplay fans have a point: There must be a better way to sell gig tickets

The Souled Store also took a more focused approach to its concert merchandise by introducing limited-edition items and exclusive designs that were only available for a short period, according to Kansara. “We also worked closely with the artists to incorporate unique elements into the designs. By focusing on the exclusivity and authenticity of the products, we were able to create a sense of urgency and excitement that translated into increased demand,” he said.

Going forward, while The Souled Store is looking at exploring partnerships with artists and event organisers to showcase the company’s concert-themed products at concerts and festivals, Myntra, according to Pais, will focus on having more artist collaborations and enhanced marketing to better connect with music fans looking for exclusive merch.