Concert or coitus? New global study finds most people would choose gigs over sex

Picture the scene. Your evening plans are wide open and you’ve boiled it down to two options: go to a gig or have sex.

Which would you pick?

Well, for the 40,000 people aged between 18 and 54 in 15 countries who were asked this question by Live Nation, the pick is overwhelmingly live music.

Live Nation’s global Living for Life report found that concerts are now the world’s top form of entertainment, with 70 per cent choosing a live show over sex.

If limited to one type of entertainment for the rest of their lives, 39 per cent of respondents chose live music over sports events (14 per cent), going to the cinema (17 per cent) or having sex (30 per cent).

Given the current dating hellscape and frequent reports affirming that fewer young people are engaging in sexual activity, the preference can’t come as too much of a shock. For instance, a 2020 YouGov survey revealed that just under a third of Brits were sexually inactive, while the sex recession has been in full swing in the US, with this year’s data from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) showing that sexlessness rose from 9 per cent for males aged 22-34 in 2013-15 to 24 per cent in 2022-23, and 8 per cent to 13 per cent for females in the same age bracket.

Do keep the source of this recent study in mind, however, as entertainment giant Live Nation is all about gig promotion.

“In 2025 alone, more than 130 million fans have already bought tickets,” the report reads. “Stadium attendance has tripled year-over-year, festivals sell out faster than ever, and with 10+ new large-scale venues opening worldwide in 2026, the movement is only accelerating.”

In 2024, fans traveled more than 40 billion miles to watch their favorite artists live, with the report adding that music being the top form of entertainment globally “isn’t a passing trend”, but rather “a cultural reset shifting how people spend their time, shape their identities, connect, and share their stories”.

Elsewhere, the report indicates that 93 per cent of people “crave real experiences over digital ones”, and 80 per cent would rather spend their money on “experiences than things”.

“In an age of AI and algorithms, concerts are the antidote – the most emotionally intense shared experience on earth. 85 per cent of fans leave euphoric, with Millennials rating that intensity highest,” the survey reveals.

Additionally, the study explains that female artists are “defining culture’s biggest moments”. It states that 76 per cent of fans are interested in live events headlined by women, citing huge tours by Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Olivia Rodrigo and Lady Gaga.

Read the full findings of the Living for Life report here.

So, where do you stand? A night watching your favourite artist live or a (hopefully gratifying) sexual experience?

A brief survey at the Euronews office reveals that a majority of respondents believe that at least the gig will last longer. Fair dos.