BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- As dusk fell over a stadium in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, the soaring vocals of Imagine Dragons electrified tens of thousands of fans, turning a two-hour concert into a high-energy spectacle.
The American rock band staged eight shows across Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu from mid- to late-March as part of its 2026 Loom World Tour, highlighting China's growing importance on the global touring circuit.
International musicians, from mainstream Western pop stars to indie bands, are increasingly making China a key stop on their global tours, drawn by the country's vast fan base and a rapidly expanding live entertainment market.
GOING EAST
In 2025, more than 350 overseas musicians and bands performed in China, and overseas performers appeared at over half of the country's music festivals, signaling a notable rise in global participation, according to industry data provider Dengta Pro.
Momentum is expected to continue in 2026. U.S. pop-rock band OneRepublic is launching a five-city China tour in April, while Universal Music China has said early this year that over 30 artists are planning performances and promotional activities across China.
Unlike in the past, when China was often treated as a secondary tour stop, more international artists now view China as a major market, scheduling multiple shows across several cities.
"Large-scale performances by international musicians are no longer limited to first-tier cities," said Wang Shu, general manager of Dengta Pro. Second-tier and tourism-oriented cities like Hangzhou, Chengdu and Sanya are emerging as key destinations, Wang added.
China's live music scene is also diversifying with the influx of niche performers.
"We invite bands from countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, as well as ensembles from Hong Kong, to our music festivals," said Li Ming, manager of 9-Club bar in Hangzhou.
Celine Autumn, lead vocalist of Singaporean indie band SOBS, said during a March performance in Hangzhou that the group had previously had limited exposure to Chinese audiences but was encouraged by the response.
"It sounds like a big surprise to us," Autumn said, adding that Chinese fans' enthusiasm and openness exceeded expectations and left the band eager to return for future performances.
CONCERT TOURISM
China's huge market is a major driver. The country hosted 640,400 commercial performances in 2025, attracting 194 million attendees and generating over 61.6 billion yuan in ticket revenue, according to the China Association of Performing Arts.
The rise in international shows is also fueling "concert tourism," with fans traveling across regions and boosting spending on hotels, dining and attractions.
"The performance economy has become part of a city's branding," said Huang Jiangping, a tourism official in Hangzhou. Concerts and music festivals can generate six times their direct revenues in related cultural and tourism spending, Huang said.
At Imagine Dragons concerts in Chengdu, many fans travelled from neighboring regions and extended their stays to visit attractions such as the city's giant panda bases and sample Sichuan cuisine.
Cities are capitalizing on the trend. In Shanghai's Xuhui district, ticket holders for Imagine Dragons concerts were offered discounts at hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and cultural venues, effectively turning tickets into consumption vouchers.
Concerts are also spawning new business models, including themed pop-up stores, exhibitions and interactive fan experiences. An Imagine Dragons-themed pop-up space in Shanghai became a viral attraction, featuring exclusive merchandise launches and immersive photo installations.
"Young consumers are shifting entertainment spending toward more experiential consumption," said a representative from Shanghai Film Co., Ltd., the official merchandise operator for Imagine Dragons' China tour.
CULTURAL BRIDGE
"More international performances are strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges and unlocking new growth potential in cultural and tourism consumption," said Pan Yan, secretary-general of the China Association of Performing Arts.
For many fans, international artists represent long-standing emotional connections built over years through digital platforms.
"Thank you for showing us that flowers can even bloom from pain," said a fan surnamed Zhang from southwest China's Guizhou Province, who has followed Imagine Dragons for over a decade. Zhang was referring to the lead singer's channeling of the pain of illness into creative inspiration, producing heartfelt songs.
Performers are also engaging with Chinese culture, sharing travel moments on social media and offering global audiences glimpses of life in China, with Katy Perry posting a vlog of visiting Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou and Imagine Dragons members touring the Bund and sampling local cuisine in Shanghai.
Policy support has also further boosted the sector. Chinese authorities have streamlined approval procedures for large-scale performances and optimized entry processes for foreign artists. In mid March, nine government agencies introduced measures to promote the integration of performances and tourism.
Local governments are also offering policy support. Authorities in Hangzhou offer one-stop services and funding support for large-scale performances. ■
