PM Modi pushes for ‘concert economy’ after Coldplay’s Mumbai and Ahmedabad tour

‘You must’ve seen pictures of Coldplay’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged states, and private players to develop infrastructure for concerts, after the Chris Martin-led British rock band held multiple sold out successful shows in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. “Big artistes from around the world are attracted to India. I expect the state and the private sector to focus on developing necessary infrastructure and skills for the concert economy,” PM Modi said.

Noting the success of Coldplay concerts in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India has immense possibilities in the concert economy.

Highlighting that India has significant potential for ‘conference tourism’, PM Modi said venues like Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi in Delhi were becoming major centres for this.

“A country that has such a rich heritage of music, dance and storytelling and a huge pool of youngsters who are big consumers of concerts, there are many possibilities in the concert economy. You have witnessed that in the last 10 years, the demand and trend for live events have increased. Over the last few days, you must have seen the beautiful pictures of Coldplay concerts in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. This proves that there is a massive scope for concerts in India,” he said at ‘Utkarsh Odisha, Make in Odisha Conclave’.

What is Concert Economy?

The concert economy refers to the growing financial ecosystem surrounding live music events. With a significant shift from physical album sales to live performances, the concert economy is projected to reach $31 billion globally by 2026, driven by increasing demand for live experiences and the rise of music festivals.

In India, this sector is emerging robustly, with estimates suggesting a potential market value of ₹6,000-8,000 crore as concerts and events stimulate local economies through spending on accommodations, food, and transportation, according to Moneycontrol report.

The recent Coldplay ‘Music Of The Spheres World Tour’ concert series in India, which took place in Mumbai on January 18-19 and Ahmedabad on January 25-26, 2025, has set new records in the live music scene.

The concerts drew a staggering 223,000 fans across both cities, with the Ahmedabad shows alone attracting over 134,000 attendees, making it the largest stadium concert in India to date.

The total revenue generated from Coldplay’s performances is estimated to be around ₹133.2 crore, according to a report by Aaditya Bhure on LinkedIn.

Diljit Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati Tour reportedly amassed around ₹234 crore across multiple shows worldwide, according to Economic Times report. Further an Instagram user @assetyogi claimed that Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati Tour in India generated an estimated revenue of around ₹500 crore. 

(Mint could not independetlky verify this value)

While, Bryan Adams’ concert series generated approximately ₹30 crore, according to Business Today report.

Dua Lipa’s recent concerts also generated revenues estimated at around ₹50 crore, the BT report mentioned. Dua Lipa’s concert in India, held on November 30, 2024, as part of the Zomato Feeding India initiative, generated significant revenue, although specific figures for the total earnings from the concert have not been disclosed in the available sources.

These figures indicate a robust growth trajectory for the live events sector, which is projected to reach ₹143 billion by 2026.