SiriusXM turns to small concerts for growth
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Ed Sheeran performs onstage for SiriusXM's Small Stage Series at Irving Plaza on Sept. 24, 2025 in New York City. Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for SiriusXM
SiriusXM is hosting more intimate concerts as a marketing strategy to attract and retain more subscribers and advertisers.
Why it matters: Brands have increasingly invested in experiential entertainment to create memorable, shareable moments that can't be replicated through traditional advertising.
The big picture: SiriusXM faces pressure from music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, while traditional radio continues to decline. The company reported 33 million paid subscribers in the second quarter of 2025, compared to Spotify's 276 million.
- SiriusXM has sought to differentiate itself with unique, in-person experiences that reinforce subscription value.
- "I look at us as — for lack of a better comparison — we're a club, and you want to be part of that club," says Ross Zapin, SiriusXM's senior vice president and general manager, events, promotions and West Coast operations.
- "You want to be able to go to these shows, you want to be able to hear these shows, and you have to be a subscriber," Zapin says.
How it works: The Small Stage Series brings stadium-level acts to intimate venues with crowds in the hundreds rather than tens of thousands.
- Recent shows include Metallica at Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, New York, Ed Sheeran at Irving Plaza in New York City, Lainey Wilson at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles and Kelsea Ballerini at The Riviera Theatre in Chicago.
- The events are designed to create a "super fan" atmosphere, says Jared Fox, senior vice president of artist relations, content marketing and partnerships and sports programming. Attendees receive exclusive merchandise. The show is also recorded and shared on SiriusXM.
Follow the money: SiriusXM sells brand sponsorships around the events, encouraging higher ad spend beyond traditional audio advertising, says Karina Montgomery, SiriusXM's senior vice president, strategic solutions.
- Reese's sponsored Ed Sheeran's recent show. The Hershey Company's vice president of consumer connections Vinny Rinaldi says the brand was interested in making a "concentrated impact."
- "TV gives us reach. Social gives us conversation. SiriusXM's Small Stage Series gives us intimacy," Rinaldi says. "When Reese's shows up there, it's not an ad, it's part of their memory."
What's next: SiriusXM plans to increase the number of events next year. The company will have hosted 20 sponsored live music events in 2025, up from 14 in 2024.
- "Hard rock is something that's really growing for us, so we're going to be leaning into that," Zapin says.
