Candlelight® presents Classical Pulse 2026, its first international study on classical music consumption habits, featuring insights from more than 8,000 people across 10 countries
Candlelight®, the concert series presented by Fever, has released the Classical Pulse 2026: Classical Music Consumption Insights report, its first-ever global study examining the habits of more than 8,000 people across ten countries. The findings identified 5 key insights driving the future of classical music worldwide:
Classical music is no longer confined to older audiences. Globally, 15% of Gen Z and Millennials interested in the genre identify as dedicated followers, nearly double the rate of Gen X (8%) and triple that of Boomers (5%).
Their enthusiasm translates into action: across all countries surveyed, more than 8 out of 10 young people who have ever attended a concert did so within the past year, many on multiple occasions. By contrast, attendance drops with age, with older generations in most countries far less likely to have gone in the past year.
This generational divide underscores the opportunity to reignite interest among older attendees, while continuing to nurture the younger audiences, the most active group of classical concert attendees today.
On average, nearly half (47%) of people worldwide are involved in classical music in some way, whether as students, educators, amateur or professional musicians, or through close ties to someone who is. In Brazil, this connection is strongest (75%), while in the U.S. and Australia, more than half also report involvement. Even in countries with lower levels of direct or social ties, like France (39%) and the U.K. (35%), audiences still show curiosity, proving that you don’t need to be a musician, or even know one, to enjoy a concert.
That connection goes beyond playing: among those who have ever attended, on average, 43% say they go to concerts to share the experience with others. This social appeal is the second main motivation, after the desire to hear music live, and it resonates especially in the U.S. (52%), Brazil (50%), and Spain (48%).
Ultimately, attendance is driven by two powerful forces: personal ties to the genre and the appeal of enjoying it collectively, showing that classical music is as much about shared moments as it is about the music itself.
Concert discovery is rapidly moving online, and Latin America stands out. In most countries, word of mouth remains the leading way people hear about classical concerts, but in Brazil and Mexico, social media has already taken the top spot.
How people discover live performances also varies by age. Among those who have attended a classical concert, 61% of Gen Z and Millennials hear about events through social media, followed by word of mouth (47%) and streaming platforms (38%). Gen X and Boomers, by contrast, rank word of mouth as their top source of discovery (exceeding 50% for both groups), followed by a heavier reliance on traditional channels, which remain among their leading sources of discovery (posters, flyers or physical ads; radio or TV; and newspapers or magazines).
For people who’ve never attended a classical concert, the main obstacles often come down to access. In Mexico, 45% say there aren’t enough concerts nearby — the highest figure across all countries — followed by Brazil (42%). Ticket prices are another consistent concern, cited by about a quarter of respondents across markets.
Cultural and social barriers are also significant. In countries like Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, people mention not knowing enough about classical music, feeling that concerts are too formal, or not having someone to go with, perceptions shaped by tradition, often carrying a sense of exclusivity.
Even with strong enthusiasm, barriers like availability, affordability, and formality continue to hold people back, showing that opening doors is just as important as sparking interest.
Classical music fans are looking for more than tradition: visual effects top the list of preferred innovations in Mexico (37%), Spain (34%), and France (32%). In Brazil, Canada, the U.K., and the U.S., audiences favor genre-blending concerts, with nearly or over 30% ranking them first. Ambience also plays a role, with Italy showing the strongest preference for unconventional venues, followed by Spain and France. By contrast, formats that incorporate interactive elements are less popular, with only 12% worldwide ranking them first, suggesting audiences prefer to observe rather than participate.