Music Merch study shows what’s selling and other 2023 trends in merch

A new study by atVenue offers an in-depth look at trends in music merch sales, including what’s selling and what’s not. The data was derived from the company’s point-of-sale technology, widely used in the live event industry.

Overall per-fan spending on merch at live shows actually fell from $8.49 in 2023 to $8.16 this year, but higher ticket prices do not appear to be the culprit Post-pandemic pent-up fan demand was off the charts in 2022, and 2023 sales look impressive when compared to average 2019 sales of $5.54 per head.

At festivals, merch spending jumps to $66 per head in 2023, up from $58 in 2022.

But these averages also vary wildly by genre, with K-Pop, the clear winner.

Top 5 genres

• K-Pop: $27.25(avg. $/Head)
• Hip Hop/Rap:$11.34(avg. $/Head)
• Hard Rock: $10.73(avg. $/Head)
• Metal: $9.76(avg. $/Head)
• Alternative: $9.74(avg. $/Head)

What’s selling?

Black T-shirts are still the biggest sellers at 2X more than any other merch item. The most common sizes are tied at Medium and Large. Hoodies have become a top 3 item in most genres.

Look at the differences in what’s selling by genre.

Read the full report atVenue here.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.