Dance Music will always have a home in the UK. A recent report from The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has found that electronic music is worth over £2.6 billion ($3.15 billion) to the UK economy. On top of that, it was revealed that electronic music is the most popular genre at their festivals.
The results showed that 29% of the acts at music festivals are dance music artists. Right behind them is Rock at 22% and pop at 21%. In total, 2.4 million people attended festivals in the last year. 67% of these festivals were electronic music related.
Since the pandemic, 29.3% of total UK clubs have closed down. In total, 365 venues closed their doors. Overall, electronic music is the 2nd most popular genre in the UK behind pop. It overtook hip-hop this year in fact.
The UK’s electronic music scene also faces several challenges, including licensing, zoning, the cost crisis, and gentrification, which limit the number of electronic music nightclubs and increase their operational costs. This threatens to reduce the impact of electronic music on commerce, culture, and community in the UK going forward.
Potential solutions include reducing regulatory burdens, providing financial support, promoting the UK as a destination for electronic music, encouraging community involvement, investing in electronic music education, and addressing gentrification and redevelopment.
NITA also suggests appointing a nighttime advisor within the government to understand and appreciate the sector. You can request access to the full NITA report data here.