I've always heard (no proof) that artists make little off album and song sales but received a larger benefit from concerts/merch. -- If that's true, the shift to increased concert revenue benefits them.

There's almost as big a racket around venues and concert promoters as there was with RIAA and it's ilk (it's basically a Ticketmaster/LiveNation monopoly in the U.S.), but artists do get a larger cut (harder to scam them when they see the full stadium I guess).

I've seen quotes about 60% of gross for artists with the rest being split between the ticket processor, promoter, taxes, etc. That 60% has to cover the artists' costs (not the venue but roadies, sound engineers, lighting crew, catering, tour manager, backing singers, extra musicians, dancers and so on

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jan/30/where-does-con...

http://www.wisebread.com/how-much-a-breakdown-of-concert-tic...