The unstoppable Taylor Train! Twice as many Brits saw Taylor Swift in the past 12 months than any other artist - travelling hundreds of miles to do so

A nation of music lovers, almost half (47%) of British adults say they attended a live music concert in the past year, of which a fifth (20%) say they saw Taylor Swift live. This is almost double that of any other artist - 11% of gig goers saw Coldplay, while Usher is next on the list (9%).

Demonstrating Taylor’s huge appeal amongst Gen Z and Millennials, the National Rail research shows that nearly a quarter (24%) of ALL British adults aged between 24 and 35 saw her in action themselves last year. However, showing her appeal to all ages, 8% of people aged 45-54 also claim to have seen her in action - many no doubt along with their teenage children.

Among Brits who attended gigs or live music events in the past 12 months, 13% say they travelled further to see Taylor than any other artist - an average of 211 miles - with 7% of eager Swifties travelling more than 500 miles to see the popstar. Nearly half of those opted to travel to the Eras gigs by train (43%), making it the most popular form of transport for the legendary tour.

The new research shows that Brits are willing to travel great lengths to see and learn more about their favourite artists, saying they would be prepared to travel over 700 miles on average to see them perform - more than the length of Britain. Almost half of those surveyed preferred the train to get there (48%) for its ease of getting to the venue from the station (45%), being able to book in advance (33%) and because the journey becomes ‘part of the experience’ (32%).

The research found that interestingly, it is not just gigs that music fans across Britain are willing to travel to see - but also places related to their favourite artists. Nearly one in five (19%) say they have previously visited a place linked to a musician or artist. Some of the most popular locations with fans included venues the artist or band played before they were famous (36%), the artist’s hometown (35%), or famous locations from their album artwork (32%).

To help music fans uncover more about the British locations behind the lyrics, songs, music videos and album artwork of their favourite artists, National Rail has launched a new series of audio guides, presented by legendary broadcaster Jo Whiley. The guides cover key geographical areas of Britain and reveal the links they have with a range of homegrown and international acts - plus how eager music fans can explore these locations by train.

Swifties can learn more about Taylor’s deep connection to London, covered in the The London and the South East guide, which also highlights the area's links to megastars from Ariana Grande, to The Kinks and Elton John. Acts such as Arctic Monkeys, Kate Bush and Kaiser Chiefs are spotlighted in the Sheffield and Yorkshire guide, while Manchester, Liverpool and the North West includes stories behind the record stores, streets and railways that inspired Northern legends from Oasis to the Beatles.

National Rail has also released a new interactive map, highlighting over 200 locations in Britain that have inspired the work of artists at home and abroad - and how to get there by train. Travellers can learn about the picturesque Lake District area that inspired Taylor’s track ‘The Lakes’, the South London links to Beyonce’s Grammy winning ‘Brown Skin Girl’, the Manchester cemetery behind The Smiths’ ‘Cemetry Gates’, and the Cromford railways that feature in the visuals for one of Oasis' biggest hits.

Ahead of an epic summer of music, the guides and map aim to encourage music lovers to get out there and discover the iconic British locations that have inspired our favourite artists – because when it comes to music, nothing beats being there.

Jo Whiley, DJ and broadcaster said: “Locations in Britain and the railway have been a source of inspiration for music artists for as long as I can remember. There's no better way to connect with the music and artists you love than going to see the locations that inspired them in person, which is why I've worked with the rail industry on a new series of audio guides, and encourage people to use their new interactive map to plan their next musical adventure by train."

Jacqueline Starr, Executive Chair and CEO at Rail Delivery Group, explained: “With this year marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway we wanted to highlight the role rail has played in inspiring music artists and how it continues to help connect Britons to the people, places and experiences they love. It was great to team up with Jo again on a new series of audio guides, which are now available alongside an interactive map that highlights 200 locations that have inspired some of the nation’s favourite songs, music videos, album artwork and are easily accessible by train.”