Passion for live music is driving the GigPig founders to improve the music industry
GigPig was created by four founders who all shared the same passion to improve the music industry. To celebrate World Music Day, which connects everyone with music whilst making it accessible, here is why their experiences brought them into the industry to ensure music continued to be accessible.
World Music Day honours the spirit of music, which plays a significant role in everyone's life. Regardless if you are a seasoned concert-goer, gigging musician or simply press shuffle on your playlist, music connects us all.
It is a day where all musicians and supporters can collaboratively come together globally to share their love for music, which spans from Classical to Heavy Rock and everything in between.
The summer solstice will unite people in music while celebrating accessibility to music in all its forms, as it plays an important role in their lives. Music was instrumental in connecting the four founders of GigPig to enter the industry and improve it.
The world’s largest grassroots music movement unites people with live music, something that GigPig does weekly, by facilitating hundreds of gigs per week nationally. It is all part of the UK's fastest-growing hospitality music marketplace’s aim to create the world’s largest marketplace of artists and venues by harnessing the power of technology and data to grow music within the hospitality scene across the globe.
Since launching in 2022, the four founders - previously music agents and a tech developer - have responded to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. They have used their passion for live music to drive GigPig to facilitate over 36,000 gigs across 22 cities, which has added more than £9m to the artist economy.
That enthusiasm resonated with GigPig’s co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Kit Muir-Rogers, from an early age. He said: “Having been surrounded by music from a very early age, it was always my passion. My house was full of music, so I learned how powerful music could be.
“Music remains a huge part of my life - my happy place, my sad place, and my in-between. It's with me from the second I wake up until I go to bed. My journey in music has been long and bumpy, and I have had to carve out a career to monetise doing what I love.”
The music industry at ‘Seed’ level has seen more barriers to entry in previous years. Whether that be grassroots venues closing at an alarming rate or difficulties for venues to book live music through stubbornly high agency fees, GigPig aims to create a fair, accessible, and thriving music industry for all. The GigPig founders boast over 30 years of experience working within music, which drives them to improve the landscape of the industry.
On this, Kit added: “We're passionate about improving the music industry for the many, not the few. We believe in creating a fair and supportive environment where artists can thrive. The traditional music industry has numerous barriers that prevent emerging artists from reaching their full potential. We aim to break down these barriers, providing opportunities for artists to make a living doing what they love.
“GigPig is revolutionising the music industry by providing a seamless platform for artists and venues to connect at scale. GigPig offers a free platform to find and book gigs, which simplifies the process of booking live entertainment. By facilitating these connections, we ensure that live music remains a central and thriving part of the hospitality experience.”
The work that GigPig is doing is continuously defining the hospitality industry, which led to the company defining ‘Seed Music' in the first-of-a-kind music report, The Live Music Index. This report shines a light on the seed section of the music industry, which is the very bedrock of the UK’s cultural scene. Seed music is the step before grassroots and refers to DJs, bands and soloists playing music in hospitality venues.
“GigPig has focused on the 'seed' industry—bars, restaurants, and pubs where artists often start their careers—because these venues are critical for nurturing emerging talent and ensure a sustainable pipeline of musicians who can grow and develop their careers,” Kit continued. “The seed industry is where artists hone their skills, build their fanbase, and gain the experience needed to advance to larger stages. By supporting these hospitality venues, GigPig ensures that new artists have the opportunities they need to grow and succeed.”
