# Musician presence and its effects on physiological and psychological well-being in live versus livestreamed concerts

## TL;DR

This study compares live and livestreamed concerts to see how musician presence affects audience well-being and physiological responses.

## Contribution

The study is one of the first to directly compare live and livestreamed concerts with a focus on musician physical presence and its effects.

## Key findings

- Participants in live concerts reported greater appreciation and emotional response compared to those in livestreamed concerts.
- Live concert attendees had significantly higher heart rates, suggesting stronger physiological arousal.
- Heart rate variability did not differ significantly between live and livestreamed conditions.

## Abstract

Listening to music, whether live or prerecorded, can benefit health and well-being. Studies have shown that music can alleviate pain and anxiety, improve emotional well-being, and strengthen social connectedness. While research on live music is promising, direct comparisons with recorded settings—specifically in relation to the physical co-presence of performing musicians—are limited. In this randomized controlled pilot study (n = 130), we examined the effects of live music concerts (classical and pop) compared to a simultaneous cinematic livestream, in a parallel design. Psychological and physiological well-being were assessed through self-reported questionnaires and physiological measures, including heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). In the live condition, participants reported greater appreciation for the music, felt more moved by the music as indicated by higher kama muta scores, and reported higher arousal and valence compared to the livestream condition. Using linear mixed models, we found that only the mean HR was significantly higher in the live group, whereas other HRV parameters did not show statistically significant differences. In conclusion, the “liveness”—in terms of the musicians being physical present—emerges as an important aspect shaping audience’s subjective experiences and physiological responses, particularly HR.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-026-38194-3.