7 out of 10 people prefer a concert to sex According to a new survey by LiveNation

Seven out of ten people would rather spend an evening at a concert than have sex. This is what emerges from the new Live Nation report, Living For Live, which, after interviewing more than 40,000 people, confirms that live music has become the most desired form of entertainment worldwide. It not only surpasses sports and cinema, but even pushes sex off the podium of “things that make people happy”. For the first time, though, this is not just about Gen Z, who already are not having sex anyway, so concerts are all that remain, but the sample included respondents aged 18 to 54.

Although it may sound like a bold statement, in recent years concerts have found new life, perhaps also because of the time lost during the pandemic. As the report explains, concerts remain one of the few physical spaces left to feel a strong sense of community, a place where it is still possible to switch off from the outside world for a few hours and connect with thousands of people at once. Just think of how much tours have dominated conversations in recent months, from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour and the massive Oasis reunion.

Concerts have become a luxury for the few

There is, however, another side to consider. While live music is more present and more visible than ever, it has never been this expensive. As reported by the Guardian, the average ticket price in 2023 rose by 23.3 percent, reaching 130.81 dollars. This figure is almost ten times the current hourly minimum wage in the United Kingdom.

In recent years attending a concert has also become almost a competitive sport, especially when it comes to securing the ticket you want. Venues are increasing, demand is rising, but access is not keeping the same pace. According to Live Nation, stadiums this year have recorded tripled numbers, and the same goes for festivals. Getting a ticket now requires strategy, quick reflexes and a budget that not everyone can sustain. For example, some tickets for the Primavera Sound 2026 edition are already sold out even though they cost more than 300 euros.

Concerts as an antidote to artificial intelligence?

Among the most interesting insights from the Live Nation survey is the desire expressed by respondents to prefer real experiences over algorithmic ones. As technology continues to permeate every daily action, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence, the need for something that cannot be replicated by an algorithm is stronger than ever. According to the report, the overwhelming majority of fans leave a show in a state of emotional peak that no digital experience can imitate, a kind of collective release that seems to work as an antidote to technological standardization.

Almost all respondents say they prefer the unpredictability of real experiences to curated algorithmic simulations, and most say they want to invest their money in moments to live, not physical objects. And yet there are several similarities between a concert and a night of passion, as noted by Elle Hunt in the Guardian. Still, when faced with the choice between reliving a dream concert and a few hours of sex, even the person writing this would go back without hesitation to the Tyler, The Creator show.

Takeaways

– Live Nation reveals that seven out of ten people would rather go to a concert than have sex. Live music now outranks cinema, sports and almost any other form of entertainment.

– At the same time concerts have become a luxury. The average ticket price has reached almost ten times the UK minimum wage, turning what was once a popular experience into something increasingly selective.

– Amid the rise of artificial intelligence, concerts are seen as one of the last places where people can feel a real emotion. Most fans say that no digital experience matches the emotional high of a live show.