Can experience be digitized? The sights, smells, feelings, and other ephemeral things that fade as soon as the action stops might be valuable if they could be caught in a bottle. Fortunately, things haven’t quite gotten that strange yet, but the idea of replicating a concert in a living room—live-streaming—isn’t a new one.
As ticket prices soar, and vendors seemingly prepare to increase them further (“the concert is underpriced and has been for a long time”, expressed Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino in September), the question of whether ‘virtual’ experiences could become part of the norm grows ever more relevant.
“Social Presence”
Many music fans have watched a (pre-recorded) event on YouTube or bought something similar on a DVD. Yet, popular resistance to live-streamed events is so widespread it’s even piqued the interest of scientists.
The oddly-named Computers in Human Behavior Reports discovered that “social presence”, i.e., attending a concert in person, is important to “enjoyment” and feeling connected to others. Sticking with the big brains for a moment, the International Journal of Economics and Management Studies reported that 59.5% of 74 people asked spent more money on streaming than on watching live music in 2025.
Yet, at the same time, attendance at live events had “rebounded impressively”, suggesting that streaming services seem to exist in a bubble away from live concerts. Accessibility remains a problem for those who never attend physical occasions, however.
Brick-and-Mortar
Entertainment, of all descriptions, continually re-adapts to social pressures. Among casino-goers, online gaming has become the norm for people with limited access to brick-and-mortar sites and those who just don’t feel like leaving the house. The original sites remain, however.
London’s Hippodrome provides a casino online that complements the premises in Leicester Square. There’s a bit more to it than that, though. Casinos also rely on live-streamed content to reach players. This usually takes the form of classic table games like roulette and blackjack streamed from a studio with a live dealer.
A recent trend has seen game show-style lobbies join the casino’s repertoire, too. These range from Monopoly and Snakes & Ladders to a rendition of the rise and collapse of the Stock Market.
Is such a change guaranteed for live concerts?
Living Vicariously
Several sources insist so. The University of Middlesex in the UK analyzed the responses of 1,500 musicians and concert fans and discovered that almost all of them – 90-92% – believed that live-streaming is essential to reach future audiences. They agreed that such a service should be paid for.
However, the same group demanded “emotional engagement” from live-streams, something that seems a tough task on the surface. The idea of living vicariously through people at the shows themselves was cited as a possible benefit of broadcasts. It’s easy to see how that offers a stripped-down experience, though. You’re not there. Somebody else is.
The good news, for people who like the sweat and tears of live entertainment, is that resistance to live-streaming taking a majority stake of concerts is high. The LiveMusicBlog website used words like spontaneity, connection, immersion, tradition, and discovery as to why physical events are “so disarming” or loved by fans.
So, overall, it’s easy to agree with one of the studies mentioned earlier in this article. Yes, live-streaming continues to grow in prominence, but it’s taking nothing away from the flesh-and-blood experience. In fact, the latter seems to be gaining in popularity instead.
Would you attend a live-streamed concert?
