Booking the Right Pop Act for Your Venue

Fun, uplifting, and sure to get audience members on their feet, Pop bands and singers are the perfect addition to an event. Whether you’re planning a Friday night 90s throwback, a regular student event, or a one-off spectacular, Pop music artists can make it all the more engaging and memorable. 

However, Pop is a broad genre, and it’s important to find an act that suits your venue’s setting and energy, whilst amplifying the atmosphere inside it.

With this in mind, here are some top tips to help you book the ideal bands and singers for your Pop music venue.

Understand your audience

From bars and pubs and hotels to huge stadiums and arenas, every venue will have a different audience to cater to. The purpose of any Pop music event is to entertain your customers, so it’s important to have their interests at heart when finding the perfect artists. 

Think about the age range and demographics of your intended audience, and let this guide your booking decisions. Are they students, professionals, families, or retirees, for instance? What are their music tastes and expectations? 

The beauty of Pop music is that there are also so many sub-genres. Here are some ideas on the best Pop styles for different audiences:

  • Mainstream chart-pop: Perfect for students and young professionals in commercial venues.

  • Indie Pop and Synth Pop: Ideal for creative crowds attending quirky bars and trendy venues.

  • Pop covers and tribute acts: From Queen and ABBA to the Spice Girls, Pop singers and bands covering the classics can be a great draw for broader audiences with a range of ages.

  • Pop-Punk: Planning a 00s throwback night? Millennial audiences are sure to go wild for their favourite Pop-Punk tracks.
  • LGBTQ+ Pop: Pop is a gloriously inclusive genre and can be a powerful way to create a welcoming, high-energy environment. Booking artists who celebrate queer icons — such as Lady Gaga, George Michael, and Chappell Roan — can help your venue connect with LGBTQ+ audiences.

Consider your venue's size and setup

It’s also worth considering the practical elements when choosing Pop music artists. Think about:

  • The atmosphere you want to create: Are you looking for artists who can create uplifting background music, such as in a hotel restaurant? Or is your event designed to get everyone up and dancing in a nightclub setting?

  • Your venue’s size and setup: An intimate performance space in a bar may not be able to cater to a full band, but a solo Pop singer could bring the perfect level of fun and vibrancy to the venue.
  • Facilities and equipment: Pop acts typically require a good sound system for backing tracks and high-quality microphones for clear vocals, so it’s important to ensure your venue can provide the right equipment. Does your venue have a sound system suitable for a full band, or is it better suited to a solo singer?
  • Restrictions: Think about the timing of your event and whether any sound restrictions may apply. If your venue is in a built-up area, you may need to consider late-night sound levels or curfews.

Think about your budget

A key consideration when choosing the right music acts for your venue, no matter the genre, is budget. As a general rule, the more artists there are, the higher the fee, so a full band will typically cost more than a solo artist.

Book local Pop artists with GigPig

The best way to find the right Pop music artists for your venue is to see who’s available. With GigPig’s live music marketplace, it’s easier than ever to check out Pop artists for hire in your local area. Made for bookers by bookers, GigPig is designed to streamline the process for quick, easy, and affordable event management.

Rather than spending your evening scouting local talent by attending different gigs, you can discover the region's best Pop artists effortlessly through our online platform. 

Whether you’re planning a one-off gig or want an incredible Pop act for repeat bookings, you can hire artists in seconds. All you need to do is:

  1. Browse our artists to find Pop bands and singers to suit your venue.

  2. Add your favourites to your shortlist.

  3. Input your event details to make a booking — we’ll handle the rest.

  4. Check your handy central calendar, where we’ll put all your bookings (including those at multiple venues).

  5. Clear your invoices — our platform simplifies your financial management with automatic invoicing to reduce your admin time and costs.

Take a look at our top tips for booking live music through GigPig for more advice, and feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.