The BBC Proms 2023 season concluded on Saturday, and it was nothing short of a resounding success, with record-breaking figures both online and offline. This year’s Proms season witnessed a surge in viewership, setting new benchmarks for classical music enthusiasts across the UK and beyond.
The online presence of the Proms soared to unprecedented heights, with more than double the number of signed-in accounts accessing BBC Proms content on iPlayer and BBC Sounds compared to the previous year. This digital enthusiasm translated into remarkable television viewership as well. Nearly 1 million people tuned in to watch the First Night of the Proms on BBC Two, marking its strongest overnight TV audience since 2009.
The opening weekend was nothing short of spectacular, with Proms content captivating 3.2 million viewers on TV. The pinnacle of the Proms season, the Last Night of the Proms, witnessed a peak audience of 3.5 million on BBC One.
The Royal Albert Hall, the iconic venue for many of the Proms concerts, experienced a remarkable surge in attendance, with well over half of the main evening concerts being total sell-outs. The average main evening attendance at the Hall reached an impressive 93%, an increase from 85% in 2019 before the pandemic disrupted events.
The 2023 Proms season featured a diverse range of musical performances and events, including Sir Simon Rattle’s final concerts as Music Director of the LSO, a full concert staging of Berlioz’s epic opera “The Trojans,” orchestral celebrations of “Northern Soul” and “Bollywood,” and appearances by renowned artists like Rufus Wainwright, Jon Hopkins, and Portuguese star Mariza in the first-ever Fado Prom.
What’s particularly heartening is that nearly half (47%) of the audiences at the Royal Albert Hall were attending a Prom for the first time, highlighting the enduring appeal of classical music to new audiences. The Proms also embraced modern platforms, partnering with TikTok to relaunch their classical music hashtag, garnering over 1 million views on the platform, primarily from individuals aged 18 to 34. Across the BBC’s social media channels, Proms content garnered more than 5 million views.
Sam Jackson, Controller of Radio 3, expressed his excitement, saying, “This has been a fantastic year for the Proms, and demonstrates the country’s appetite for classical music from the BBC. In multiple ways, audiences are higher than pre-pandemic figures, and I’m particularly pleased to see so many young people coming to classical music, often for the very first time.”
Suzy Klein, Head of Arts and Classical Music TV, commended the strong television viewership and thanked the teams responsible for delivering outstanding concert coverage. She added, “Major moments in the cultural calendar, such as the First Night and the Last Night, are reaching so many millions of people.”
As the curtains fall on the 2023 Proms season, anticipation builds for what the Proms have in store for 2024, promising another year of musical brilliance and cultural enrichment. Details for the upcoming season are expected to be revealed next April, leaving classical music enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the next symphonic journey.