Liverpool city region music sector ‘worth £780m’
Music is worth £780m to the Liverpool city region economy each year and is on course to hit £1bn by 2035, a new report reveals. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool city region’s music sector is on course to be worth £1bn by 2035, a new study claims.
This report – The Liverpool City Region Music Economy: Toward a £1 Billion Sector – reveals the industry across the six boroughs of Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton is currently worth £780m a year, with a GVA value of £406m.
GVA (gross value added) measures the direct economic impact of a sector while the larger economic value figure includes so-called multiplier effects such as spending in the supply chain and consumer spending by music sector workers.
Funded by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority through its music industry development pilot, the report was commissioned by Liverpool City Council and builds on five years of sector development by the Liverpool City Region Music Board.
Its findings were delivered by partners at the University of Liverpool, a key academic and research partner on the industry development programme.
In the report the industry was broken down into sub-sectors. They include publishing and licensing, technical production services and live events and the venues they take place in across the city region.
Music supports more than 14,000 jobs, the report reveals, including more than 7,200 full-time equivalent roles.
They range from employees of medium-sized businesses to microbusinesses, self-employed musicians and other specialists and ‘flexible’ workers including musicians, stage crew, operations and security staff as well as legal and marketing professionals.
Most musicians, producers and technicians operate as self-employed professionals, often combining multiple income streams within a single working week. A freelance musician will earn an average of £18,377 from their music work each year.
City region Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “Music runs through this city region like a heartbeat — it always has. But this research shows it’s also a sophisticated, export-driven industry creating good jobs and powering growth right here, right now.
“The pathway to a £1bn music economy is within reach, and this report sets out how we get there. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built, and we’re committed to backing this world-class sector for the long term.”
Beyond the headline figures, the research highlights a distinctive and highly specialised industrial cluster, with strengths in live performance, technical production and music rights.
This ecosystem is anchored by globally recognised organisations, including Sentric Music, Adlib Audio, Ditto Music and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, alongside a dense network of venues, studios and micro-businesses.
In January LBN revealed that Sentric Music alone generates £65m in annual revenues. Founded in 2006 by Chris Meehan, it collects royalties on behalf of artists from more than 200 territories worldwide.
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Jon Collins, chair of the Liverpool City Region Music Board and chief executive of LIVE, said: “Liverpool is rightly celebrated for its musical heritage and vibrant present, but for too long we’ve lacked the robust data to fully demonstrate the scale of the opportunity. This report changes that.
“Over the past five years, we’ve seen how targeted support can strengthen the sector’s foundations. There is significant headroom for growth, and with continued investment and coordinated action, we can unlock even greater economic and cultural impact.”