Glasgow launches campaign to become the UK's number one music city

A new campaign has been launched to promote Glasgow as the number one destination for music fans to visit in the UK.

Glasgow Life has joined forces with VisitScotland to help restart the city’s music and night-time industries as the country slowly emerges from nearly two years of Covid restrictions.

The £90,000 campaign – Glasgow: Music Nonstop – will highlight upcoming gigs and festivals.

Some of the big names performing in the city over the coming months include Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Andrea Bocelli, Gladys Knight and Queen.

Festival fans can also look forward to the return of Summer Nights at the Bandstand, TRNSMT and Country to Country, Europe’s biggest country music event.

The campaign, which will run until the end of March, will also showcase tours, products and attractions that help bring Glasgow’s musical heritage to life.

David McDonald, chair of Glasgow Life and depute leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Glasgow enjoys a global reputation as a live music hotspot.

“Our venues punch well above their weight internationally – our OVO Hydro is regularly named in the world’s top five arenas – and the passion and enthusiasm of our audiences is unrivalled.

“We’re also home to some outstanding tours and visitor experiences, which delve deep into our city’s vast musical legacy.

“It’s these credentials that make Glasgow a must-play destination for the world’s biggest artists and promoters, and it’s a major reason why visitors choose to come here.”

Named Europe’s Secret Capital of Music by Time Magazine, Glasgow was the UK’s first, and remains Scotland’s only, UNESCO City of Music.

Pre-Covid, Glasgow hosted an average of 130 gigs and music events every week, contributing an estimated £75m each year to the city’s economy.

Councillor McDonald added: “From Celtic Connections to TRNSMT and every genre in between, our legendary music scene offers something for every fan, which is why music is a core pillar of Glasgow’s Tourism and Visitor Plan to 2023.

“Supporting the recovery of our music and night-time industries post-pandemic is hugely important for the city, not just for our visitor economy, but to help protect the thousands of jobs that exist across these industries, their supply chains and more widely across every part of our tourism and hospitality sector.”