Cadbury launches ‘Gift a First Gig’ campaign to celebrate Britain’s love of live music

Research commissioned by Cadbury has revealed that the average Brit has been to 12 live concerts in their lifetime. Almost half the population (42%) went to at least one show last year. And 59% have been to a live gig in the past five years.  Announcing a nationwide partnership with Academy Music Group, Ticketmaster and Camp Bestival presented by Debenhams, Cadbury is launching Gift a First Gig  - a celebration of live music and a call to share it with someone who has never experienced it before. 

Fans can enter by visiting @CadburyUK on Instagram to nominate someone who deserves their first gig experience. The initiative will run across Cadbury’s digital channels and through Ticketmaster. Cadbury ambassador and England Women's football captain, Leah Williamson - who plays the piano and is a frequent gig-goer - is backing the partnership and the Gift a First Gig promotion. 

Sixty two percent of music fans say attending live music events is more rewarding than any other form of live entertainment. Fifty percent  of the population say music plays a bigger role in their life than ever before, rising to two thirds of Gen Z.  If Britain is already a great gig nation, Gen Z are the generation taking that love to a new level with three quarters (76%) attending a music concert at least once a year - making live music a near-annual ritual for the vast majority. 86% listen to music daily, with 69% tuning in two to three times a day. 

Crucially, Gen Z are not just consuming more, they feel it more deeply. 69% of Gen Z music fans say music has become more central to their lives, and 70% say attending live music events are more rewarding than other live entertainment options. They are also starting earlier. A quarter of Gen Z (26%) say they attended their first ever concert before the age of 11 - compared with just three percent of older generations. The gig has become a feature of childhood in a way it never was before. 

For most Brits, a first gig is a milestone. More than half (56%) attended their first concert before adulthood, with 43% going for the first time between the ages of 12 and 17. The most common window is 15 to 17 - the years when music becomes identity, and a live show becomes a memory carried for life.

And it is not just the artist that makes it special. Three quarters of UK music fans (75%) say they go for the atmosphere, excitement and experience of live music. It is also an experience built for sharing. 56% of UK music fans say music helps them feel connected to their community - a figure that rises to 68% of Gen Z and 71% of Millennials. 

One in three music fans (34%) say they attend live events as a special occasion or treat. 45% say they would love to receive music concert tickets as a gift, making them one of the most coveted presents in the country, above cinema tickets, theme park trips and sports events. 

And the appetite for brands to play a generous role in music is clear: 56% of UK music fans say they are more likely to buy from a brand that brings kindness and generosity into music. 

On average, Brits enjoy five different genres, and the breadth of taste reflects a nation that has always had music at its heart. Nationally, 80s music leads the way, followed by 90s music and Rock. But preferences shift across generations.  

Behind Britain’s gig-going culture lies a story of inheritance. Forty two percent  of UK music fans say they developed their parents’ music taste, and among under-40s the figure rises to 58%, more than double the rate of over-40s (25%). Among males aged 25–34, it climbs to 68%.  

Fifty five percent of UK music fans say they love to support local music artists or go to local gigs. 56% say music helps them feel connected to their community. Live music is not just entertainment in this country. It is how Britain comes together. 

Through its partnership with Academy Music Group, Ticketmaster and Camp Bestival presented by Debenhams, Cadbury will bring the Gift a First Gig campaign to life across the UK’s live entertainment landscape - from venue moments and ticket promotions to family-friendly festival experiences.  

As part of the collaboration, gig-goers will also be able to purchase Cadbury products - including Dairy Milk, Buttons and Twirls - at O2 Academy venues nationwide. Later in the partnership, Cadbury will provide further opportunities to gift live music tickets with Ticketmaster and Camp Bestival presented by Debenhams. 

Fans can win gig tickets now via @CadburyUK on Instagram. 

Survey methodology: Online survey of 2,000 UK adults across four age groups — Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, Boomer — conducted by Dentsu Sports Analytics on behalf of Cadbury, March 2026.