As the first comprehensive pipeline and analytics platform for live events, RealCount begins at the basics: where, when, and how tickets are sold.

In the first installment of our Figures in Music series, we chatted with RealCount founder and CEO, Diana Gremore about the power of unlocking artist ticket data. Covering everything from ticketing data collection to RealCount's comprehensive data services, we also touch on industry shifts, the importance of ticket sales metrics, and strategies for emerging artists.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

How did you get your start in the music industry?

I started working in music officially in college. I don't really count my garage bands in high school as part of the professional journey, but they definitely were a good prerequisite.

After college, I headed to New York to work as an office manager at a dance music agency called AM Only. I quickly transitioned to an artist team where I worked with artists like Tiësto and David Guetta before eventually moving into a booking role. During my time there, AM Only was acquired by Paradigm Talent Agency. It was there that I realized I was more interested in exploring data than being an agent, so I pitched and ran a new department focused on data for agents and artists in live music.

When COVID hit, I saw a huge gap in reporting data and founded RealCount to automate the collection and distribution of ticket counts, a.k.a., how many tickets are sold from pretty much any ticketing platform out there. Fast forward two years and RealCount now provides up-to-date ticket sales data from over 90 ticketing platforms, allowing for easier analysis and reporting.

What does RealCount's user base look like?

Our primary user base consists of talent agencies, but we're also seeing a growing number of managers and promoters joining the platform. Our goal is to streamline operations for teams in live music while providing comprehensive data to support their KPIs, with a focus on ticket sales and revenue generation. We've positioned ourselves as a centralized hub for anyone managing ticket sales across multiple platforms. This includes talent agencies, artists, managers, promoters, and even labels seeking oversight. As we expand, we aim to bridge a data gap between artist representation and talent buying, serving as the central data repository driving daily decision-making in the industry.

You mention KPIs; what metrics does RealCount display?

Our focus lies in tracking the movement of tickets in the market, including sales volume, rates of sale, and venue suitability. Recently, we've expanded our scope to include monitoring gross revenue sales, particularly as we engage more talent buyers on our platform. As the buyers are putting themselves on the line fiscally, they want to know if they're going to be able to break even. The same goes for promoters and venues who assess profitability based on ticket sales, whereas an artist may just focus on selling out the show. Ultimately, our core metrics revolve around ticket sales, gross revenue, sales cycles and market trends.

Have you noticed a shift in event priorities since the pandemic, considering the absence of ticket sales data during that time? How do you perceive the changes in event priorities, and do you believe the industry has fully recovered?

During COVID, the live music landscape underwent significant changes, with a surge in live streaming and drive-in events dominating the scene. However, the absence of ticket sales data was primarily due to resource constraints rather than a lack of events. Since then, I've observed a trend towards shorter on-sale cycles for shows, with more events being announced closer to their dates. This suggests that longer promotional periods may not necessarily result in higher ticket sales, but more so depend on the venue size. It's also a huge tactic to achieve comparable sales volumes.

Regarding the rampant resale market, does RealCount aim to highlight and address issues with scalpers? If not, are there specific measures you believe could be taken to mitigate these problems?

In terms of the secondary market, RealCount doesn't currently track sales. I think the biggest thing I can call attention to is that it's already hard for artists and teams to understand where their tickets are being sold on the primary market, so when it comes to the secondary market, tools for artists and teams are another area for improvement.

Touching on another industry debate around streaming services and unfair compensation, how crucial is it for artists to excel in live events? What are your projections for the future of live events as they increasingly contribute to artists' revenue?

Every artist has a unique vision of success tailored to their aspirations. For some, success is heavily tied to frequent touring, while others chart different paths. However, touring plays a pivotal role in sustaining careers for artists who may not achieve viral fame but still need consistent financial returns. The dynamics of ticket sales become paramount in this context and enables artists to identify strong markets where promotions yield high returns and weaker ones that require nurturing.

For example, take an artist that is touring across various cities. By analyzing their sales data, they can pinpoint cities where their fan base is robust and those where it's relatively weaker - ultimately channeling their resources into nurturing the latter to ensure that they don't perform to empty venues. This not only maximizes ticket sales but also fosters long-term growth.

Traditionally, artists had limited access to real-time sales data, often relying on weekly reports or manual tracking methods. Our platform revolutionizes this process by providing daily updates on ticket sales from various platforms. That way artists can focus more on their craft and engage with their audience to nurture sales in real time.

Say I'm an artist heading on my first tour. What exactly should I focus on, particularly when it comes to analyzing my ticket data?

I think a rule of thumb when it comes to building touring history is go where you think you will sell tickets, start to sell them, and then return a second time. But that time around try to sell more.

Many legendary agents live by the saying, "Don't skip steps." Even for artists gaining traction online or on DSPs, it's often necessary to begin with intimate shows to establish demand and tour credibility. Chartmetric is a great tool for identifying where you have those pockets of followers. However, just because you have 75,000 followers in one city doesn't mean you should try to sell 10,000 tickets. Start with where you think you can sell tickets and then experiment by actually trying to sell them.

Are there any other trends that you've seen emerging in music lately?

The notion of super fans has definitely surged in prominence in recent years. While artists have always relied on their fan base, today's focus is on deepening these connections. Whether through platforms like Patreon or leveraging social media, artists are identifying and nurturing their top supporters, particularly those who contribute financially. And in today's digital landscape where individuals can feel lost in algorithms, cultivating these meaningful relationships is more important than ever.

Any other exciting news coming that you'd like to share?

All in all, we're really starting to contextualize and deepen the information that we have in regard to platforms. Not only do we list all of your tour history or your final sales numbers, but we provide the buying tendencies for an artist’s audience - whether they skew early buying or late buying - and can segment each audience out by market. Metrics like this can help teams start to understand where the bulk of those sales are going to happen during the sales cycle and ultimately book or market better tours.

On that note, we're currently experimenting with the Chartmetric API to extract engagement metrics from several social media platforms and specific geographic markets. Our aim is to offer this contextual data to artists and teams on our platform, helping them align their touring and ticket sales with their recorded music & social media presence.

On a final note, what artist can't you stop listening to right now?

Well, I'm absolutely obsessed with Chappell Roan. Recently I saw somebody tweet about her Tiny Desk concert and was like, oh a woman in drag? I have to watch this. So I watched it, fell in love, and two days later knew every single word to all of her songs.

Discover more about RealCount and unlocking the power of ticketing data here.

Interview conducted by Nicki Camberg and Sarah Kloboves. Cover image by Crasianne Tirado.