Poor box office leads to wave of cancellations for Chinese music festivals
Ten music festivals in China have already been cancelled or postponed in 2026, primarily due to poor ticket sales. This contrasts sharply with the explosive growth seen after the pandemic in 2023, with economic slowdown, reduced corporate advertising, and cuts in local government subsidies cited as contributing factors.
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- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 17:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 17:31 (21 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 27, 2026 at 22:03 (4h 31m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Lü Chia-jung, Beijing 27th) According to China's Southern Metropolis Daily, 10 music festivals in China have already announced cancellations or postponements in 2026, with the biggest reason being "poor box office" for most of them.
In 2023, after the lifting of pandemic restrictions, China's domestic music festival market saw explosive growth, with the number of events reaching 560, the highest record since statistics began. However, in the same year, as many as 91 music festivals were also postponed or cancelled.
This year, events like the Foshan Cross-Border Music Carnival, Beihai Mosuo Music Festival, and Guangzhou Onion Spaceship Music Festival have successively announced cancellations, some even notified just one day before opening. This not only disappointed music fans but also severely damaged the industry's credibility.
Many music fans and followers left comments on Weibo complaining and lamenting the cancellations. Some netizens pointed out that the downturn in music festivals is due to the economic recession, which led to a decrease in corporate advertising spending and a lack of companies willing to provide naming sponsorships. Many music festivals were cancelled midway because they "couldn't secure sponsors." Additionally, a decrease in local government subsidy willingness is also a reason.
Southern Metropolis Daily reported that in 2025, the "force majeure" trend continued to spread among various music festivals in China, with over 50 music festivals cancelled or postponed throughout the year, and "force majeure" still frequently appeared. At that time, several senior industry insiders pointed out that the main reason for postponements or cancellations due to "force majeure" was poor box office.
According to the report, since most music festivals rely on commercial operations, if box office performance falls short of expectations and cannot cover costs, organizers are very likely to choose postponement or cancellation based on profit considerations. "Due to force majeure" has become a decent excuse, providing a cover for unsold tickets and a vague explanation that led many music fans to speculate, reducing their impulse to complain and defend their rights as consumers. (Editor: Chiu Kuo-chiang) 1150427
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(Central News Agency reporter Lü Chia-jung, Beijing 27th) According to China's Southern Metropolis Daily, 10 music festivals in China have already announced cancellations or postponements in 2026, with the biggest reason being "poor box office" for most of them.
In 2023, after the lifting of pandemic restrictions, China's domestic music festival market saw explosive growth, with the number of events reaching 560, the highest record since statistics began. However, in the same year, as many as 91 music festivals were also postponed or cancelled.
This year, events like the Foshan Cross-Border Music Carnival, Beihai Mosuo Music Festival, and Guangzhou Onion Spaceship Music Festival have successively announced cancellations, some even notified just one day before opening. This not only disappointed music fans but also severely damaged the industry's credibility.
Many music fans and followers left comments on Weibo complaining and lamenting the cancellations. Some netizens pointed out that the downturn in music festivals is due to the economic recession, which led to a decrease in corporate advertising spending and a lack of companies willing to provide naming sponsorships. Many music festivals were cancelled midway because they "couldn't secure sponsors." Additionally, a decrease in local government subsidy willingness is also a reason.
Southern Metropolis Daily reported that in 2025, the "force majeure" trend continued to spread among various music festivals in China, with over 50 music festivals cancelled or postponed throughout the year, and "force majeure" still frequently appeared. At that time, several senior industry insiders pointed out that the main reason for postponements or cancellations due to "force majeure" was poor box office.
According to the report, since most music festivals rely on commercial operations, if box office performance falls short of expectations and cannot cover costs, organizers are very likely to choose postponement or cancellation based on profit considerations. "Due to force majeure" has become a decent excuse, providing a cover for unsold tickets and a vague explanation that led many music fans to speculate, reducing their impulse to complain and defend their rights as consumers. (Editor: Chiu Kuo-chiang) 1150427
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
Text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.