Impact International: UK/Euro 2024 Honoree Neo Sala

“I FEEL OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE”

Neo Sala was 15 years old when a friend played Deep Purple’s album Made in Japan. He instantly fell in love with “Smoke on the Water,” and with rock music in general. In 2024, he continues to shape rock history himself.

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band performed seven sold out concerts in Spain over a 14-month period, from April 2023 to June 2024. With four shows in Barcelona and three in Madrid. “We sold nearly 400,000 tickets, marking a historic achievement, as no other international act has done this before in Spain,” he says.

Doctor Music is the go-to Spanish promoter for some of the world’s most successful international touring artists. Others on the current program include Robbie Williams, Bryan Adams, Pretenders, Kamasi Washington, Within Temptation, Walk Off The Earth, and more.
The established artists are doing amazingly well these days. It’s the volatility of new talent Sala is concerned about.

“It is hard for new artists to make an impact at a deep level because audiences are overloaded with content,” he says, “and they don’t build a profound connection with the artists they listen to. Often, people listen to their playlists without knowing who is performing each song. At festivals, with so many acts performing across a weekend, many attendees only watch fragments of concerts. If this becomes the new normal, I feel that it
will be very difficult for artists to have long, successful careers.”

In these current hectic and unpredictable times, Sala wants his team to represent a bastion of calm in stormy waters. “Some of our best opportunities have arisen when agents and managers realize that Doctor Music maintains a level of concentration that other companies can’t match,” he explains.

Sala doesn’t want to make any predictions though:

“One thing I’ve learned, after more than 40 years in the industry, is that it’s highly unpredictable. I’d need a crystal ball to make accurate and successful predictions in the
live music business and, if I had one, I probably wouldn’t be answering these questions right now. However, I always try to stay positive, and I feel optimistic about the future.”