The late-night raver seems to be fading away. Major cities around the world have been reporting a decline in club culture. The closure of clubs has been cited as rising costs, declining tourism, Generation Z’s diminishing enthusiasm for traditional clubbing, and the growing popularity of music festivals as key factors behind its closure.
These challenges reflect a broader trend reshaping nightlife across major cities, including Berlin, Barcelona, Melbourne, and New York. Club-goers are ending their nights earlier despite dance music’s growing global appeal. Between 2014 and 2024, the proportion of events running past 3 a.m. dropped in 12 of 15 international cities, according to a Financial Times analysis of Resident Advisor listings.
More restrictive licensing regulations, particularly after COVID-19, have further strained clubs. While some cities had embraced initiatives like night mayors and “24-hour city” policies, pandemic-era oversight has led to stricter enforcement of late-night operations.
Daytime events and festivals are also gaining popularity. Mike Vosters, founder of Matinee Social Club, noted that his early evening New York parties, initially designed for millennials seeking earlier nights, have seen growing interest from partygoers in their 20s. He attributed this shift to a cultural move away from “bottle service” clubbing and toward healthier, more balanced lifestyles.
In Melbourne, often dubbed the world’s live music capital, the nightclub scene has sharply declined over the past two decades. Rising costs and shifting consumer habits, particularly post-pandemic, have led to over 100 club closures in recent years.
Despite these challenges, electronic music continues to thrive. A report by the International Music Summit revealed the industry grew by 17% in 2023, generating $11.8 billion in annual revenue. Additionally, the number of venues hosting more than five events annually rose by 60% across 15 cities from 2014 to 2024, with artist bookings nearly doubling during that time.