UK Music Levy Helps New Artists with Tour Costs

Apr 25, 2026, 01:22

Introduction

A small tax on concert tickets gives money to help new musicians. The first £500,000 goes to 26 artists.

Main Body

The band Brown Horse got about £5,000. They often sleep on friends' floors or drive a very old van. The money helps them pay for rooms and pay themselves for the first time in a year. David Rowntree from the band Blur says touring is very expensive now. He says without new artists, there will be no big stars in the future. Other artists like Hollie Cook and Elephant Sessions also got money. They use it for travel, fuel, and shows in small towns. It is hard to sell tickets after the pandemic. The tax is not required. Only a few concerts use it. The government may make it a law later.

Conclusion

The money helps a little, but touring is still hard. The future depends on the tax.

Vocabulary Learning

concert (n.)
a live music performance / a public performance of music音樂會
Example:I went to a concert last weekend.
expensive (adj.)
costing a lot of money / having a high price昂貴的
Example:Touring is very expensive now.
tax (n.)
money paid to the government / money you pay to the government稅；稅款
Example:The tax on concert tickets helps new musicians.
tickets (n.)
pieces of paper that let you enter an event / a piece of paper that shows you have paid to enter a place門票
Example:I bought two tickets for the show.
travel (n.)
the act of going from one place to another / journey旅行；出行
Example:They use the money for travel and fuel.

Sentence Learning

They often sleep on friends' floors or drive a very old van.
Connector: or: 'Or' connects two choices or possibilities. Here, it shows the band has two options for sleeping or traveling.「或」連接兩個選擇或可能性。這裡表示樂團有兩種睡覺或交通的選擇。
The money helps them pay for rooms and pay themselves for the first time in a year.
Time Marker: 'For the first time in a year' tells us when this happens. It means they have not paid themselves in a whole year.「一年來第一次」告訴我們這件事發生的時間。意思是他們一整年都沒有給自己發薪水。
David Rowntree from the band Blur says touring is very expensive now.
Time Marker: 'Now' shows the current situation. It means touring is expensive at this time.「現在」表示當前的情況。意思是巡演在此時很昂貴。
It is hard to sell tickets after the pandemic.
Time Marker: 'After the pandemic' shows the time following the pandemic. It explains when selling tickets is difficult.「疫情之後」表示疫情過後的時間。它說明了何時售票困難。
The money helps a little, but touring is still hard.
Connector: but: 'But' shows a contrast. The money helps, but touring remains difficult.「但是」表示對比。錢有幫助，但巡演仍然困難。