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INTERNATIONAL PROFILES

weden has had a tricky year amid the continued rise of the far right, an alleged boom in religious extremism, gang violence, and allegations of sexual assault at this summer’s Bråvalla Festival. Sweden does, however, remain the Nordic capital of pop, with a muscular live market and a highly progressive ticketing business. PRIMARY TICKETING Traditionally, venues appoint the ticketing agent in Sweden, although outdoor festival promoters control their own ticketing arrangements. The country has become a budding battleground for the major ticketing companies in the past couple of years. In late 2015, AXS bought sport and entertainment company Transticket, while CTS Eventim beefed up its Swedish presence by taking a 50% stake in Venuepoint, owner of Biljettforum. Ticketmaster, however, rules the roost having acquired historic market leader Ticnet in 2004. Interestingly, the expansion into the Swedish market offered AXS its first opportunity to migrate its ticketing platform into a non-English language format. DISTRIBUTION OF SALES Sweden is closer than any country in the world to becoming a cashless society, and tickets, too, have essentially migrated into the virtual world. These days, they are almost exclusively sold online and via mobile, with reports of 60% mobile sales from some ticketers. All tickets are e-tickets, and if you do have a physical item, you’ll probably have printed it at home. White-label ticketing company Tickster this year launched an electronic point-of-sale network in carefully chosen venues, restaurants and bars.

the world. From ABBA and Roxette, to Avicii, Robyn, Tove Lo, and pop craftsmen such as Max Martin and Shellback, as well as much rock, metal and Nordic hip-hop, Sweden can credibly turn its hand to most things. Accordingly, its live business does a brisk trade, and its domestic artists don’t toil in the shadow of international touring acts. “Pop and rock music are very popular in Sweden, and this is reflected in ticket sales,” says Ticketmaster Sweden managing director Kristian Seljeset. “We have around a 50/50 split in terms of sales between international and local Swedish acts.” CULTURAL ANALYSIS Sweden is increasingly cashless, with barely half as many hard Swedish kronor in circulation as in 2010. Swish, an app-based mobile payment system that could count 5m users by 2016 – from a population of not quite 10m – has had a significant influence. Tickster alone reports that it now sells 25% of its tickets through Swish, although the app only expanded to include online shopping in January. TAXES AND CHARGES Concerts fall into Sweden’s lowest tax band at 6%. Ticketing agents’ service fees go up to about 8%, though they can be lower, and tend to be included in the advertised ticket price.

Live Nation and Ticketmaster enjoyed great success with Depeche Mode at Stockholm’s Friends Arena in May 2017

VALUE OF MARKET Concert revenue in Sweden continues to rise. In 2015, it stood at SEK4.8bn (€500m) or 53% of the music industry’s total revenue, up from SEK4.2bn (€450m) and 51% the year before. That 14% spike in concert revenue was the single largest increase in the ten years since Swedish music trade association Musiksverige began compiling figures in 2007. A shade over 10% of total live revenues are generated overseas.

SECONDARY TICKETING Ticketmaster launched its Seatwave platform in Sweden in September 2016, with Viagogo already present. Ticket fraud is a particular source of concern for the primary ticketing business. “Secondary ticketing is a problem in Sweden – there have been issues with bad tickets, fraud and overselling,” says Erik Lindholm, CEO of Tickster, which operates a strictly controlled, commissionfree resale service for fans. “By not charging any fee for our service there is no legitimate reason not to use it.” INTERNATIONAL/DOMESTIC SPLITS AND GENRES Sweden can more than take care of itself in the pop and rock stakes, exporting more music per head than any other country in

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