Chengdu conducts a symphony of music-driven urban vitality

Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, has ranked first among the country's 15 sub-provincial cities in multiple indicators for music industry development, according to a recent report.

The 2025 China City Music Industry Development Index Report, released at the 2025 Music China Expo on Oct 28 in Chengdu, was jointly compiled by the Daolue Music Industry Research Institute and the Music Industry Promotion Committee of China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association.

Zuo Jun, executive deputy director and secretary-general of the music industry promotion committee, said the index assesses 45 cities and 213 districts or counties based on three primary indicators: the music industry's ecological foundation, music vitality driving factors, and music industry integration depth.

These primary indicators are further broken down into 10 secondary indicators — such as industry scale, talent pool, and industrial agglomeration level — with 38 tertiary indicators, Zuo said.

The report showed that Chengdu topped the list among sub-provincial cities in industrial agglomeration category, with Guangzhou in Guangdong province and Xiamen in Fujian province in second and third. Chengdu also ranked first in several categories, including creative vitality, performance vitality, music-cultural tourism integration, and overall industrial development among sub-provincial cities.

Chengdu's Wuhou district ranked first among 213 districts and counties in indicators of music creative vitality and music-cultural tourism integration, with its comprehensive music industrial strength rising to second in the national ranking.

Zuo attributed Chengdu's outstanding performance to its favorable policy environment, healthy industrial ecosystem, and unique cultural appeal.

"Chengdu offers a vibrant cultural atmosphere, an open creative space, and a comfortable lifestyle, making it a popular choice for musical talents to start businesses and settle down," he said. "Meanwhile, the city has built large-scale music parks to gather leading enterprises and talented musicians, driving the healthy and sustainable development of its music industry chain."

In the first three quarters of this year, Chengdu's music industry generated revenue of 47.9 billion yuan ($6.72 billion), a year-on-year increase of 41 percent, according to official statistics revealed at the Music China Expo.

A separate report on China's concert and music festival market, also released at the expo, showed that Chengdu ranked fifth in the number of concerts held, with Shanghai and Beijing taking the first and second spots. Chengdu also ranked second as a host city for performances by new-generation artists, highlighting its strong appeal to young audiences, with Shanghai in first place and Shenzhen in third.

Zhou Zheng, head of Monet Hephaestus Music Studio, which signed an agreement at the expo to launch an original music incubation base project in Wuhou, said the project is a well-considered strategic move.

"As the 2025 China City Music Industry Development Index Report indicates, Chengdu's music industry is experiencing robust growth, while Wuhou's cultural heritage and modern vibe offer musicians spiritual nourishment," Zhou said.

A key focus of the project is upgrading the Yulin Folk Music Season to attract more original musicians to Chengdu and promote the in-depth integration of music and urban culture, he added.

The Yulin Folk Music Season, which aims to create a folk music ecosystem in the Yulin area of Wuhou district, has attracted over one million tourists to the area every year since its inception in 2023.

Kuaishou Music, the music division of short-video giant Kuaishou, has also identified Wuhou as a strategic hub for its southwest expansion. The company said it plans to deepen the integration of music content and industrial activities in Wuhou and Chengdu next year.

pengchao@chinadaily.com.cn