Academy Music Group (AMG) is an owner-operator of music venues in the United Kingdom. They operate a number of medium-sized venues, the majority of which (until January 2009) took the name Carling Academy after their sponsor Carling. Some of these also contain smaller venues used for less well known acts; these typically take the title 'Academy 2'.

The group formed a partnership in 2008 with O2 to allow customers of the company to receive priority access to tickets at the venues. The deal saw eleven UK venues renamed O2 Academies from 1 January 2009, with O2 customers able to buy tickets to gigs up to two days before others.[1] The deal also involved music promoter Live Nation who own 51% of the venues.[2] In July 2017, O2, Live Nation and Academy Music Group renewed the agreement for a further ten years.[3]

Venues

Current

VenueCapacityLocationSource
O2 Academy Birmingham3,009Birmingham[4]
O2 Academy2 Birmingham600Birmingham[5]
O2 Academy3 Birmingham250Birmingham[6]
O2 Academy Bournemouth1,800Bournemouth[7]
O2 Academy Bristol1,650Bristol[8]
O2 Academy2 Bristol250Bristol[9]
O2 Academy Brixton4,921London[10]
O2 Academy Edinburgh3,000Edinburgh[11]
O2 Academy Glasgow2,550Glasgow[12]
O2 Academy Islington800London[13]
O2 Academy2 Islington250London[14]
O2 Academy Leeds2,300Leeds[15]
O2 Academy2 Leeds400Leeds[16]
O2 Academy Leicester1,450Leicester[17]
O2 Academy Liverpool1,200Liverpool[18]
O2 Academy2 Liverpool500Liverpool[19]
O2 Academy Oxford1,020Oxford[20]
O2 Academy2 Oxford436Oxford[21]
O2 Academy Sheffield2,150Sheffield[22]
O2 Academy2 Sheffield400Sheffield[23]
O2 City Hall Newcastle2,135Newcastle upon Tyne[24]
O2 Forum Kentish Town2,300London[25]
O2 Institute Birmingham1,500Birmingham[26]
O2 Ritz Manchester1,500Manchester[27]
O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire2,000London[28]
O2 Victoria Warehouse3,500Manchester[29]

Partner venues

VenueCapacityLocationSource
O2 Guildhall Southampton1,749Southampton[30]
O2 Apollo Manchester3,500Manchester[31]

Upcoming

VenueCapacityLocationSource
Brighton Hippodrome2,300Brighton[32]

Former

VenueCapacityLocationStatus
Forum Birmingham3,500BirminghamFormerly O2 Academy Birmingham. No longer operated by AMG.
NX Newcastle2,000Newcastle upon TyneFormerly O2 Academy Newcastle. No longer operated by AMG.
O2 ABC Glasgow1,300GlasgowClosed due to fire damage

References

  1. ^ "Academy Group music venues announce new partnership". NME. 6 November 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
  2. ^ Sweney, Mark (6 November 2008). "O2 to sponsor Academy music venues". The Guardian. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
  3. ^ "O2, Live Nation and Academy Music Group renew alliance for O2 Academy venues". Music Week. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Birmingham | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  5. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Birmingham | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  6. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Birmingham | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  7. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Bournemouth | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  8. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Bristol | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  9. ^ "O2 Academy2 Bristol | O2 Academy Bristol". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  10. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Brixton | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  11. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Edinburgh | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  12. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Glasgow | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  13. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Islington | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  14. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Islington | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  15. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Leeds | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  16. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Leeds | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  17. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Leicester | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  18. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Liverpool | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  19. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Liverpool | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  20. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Oxford | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  21. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Oxford | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  22. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Sheffield | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  23. ^ "Company: O2 Academy Sheffield | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  24. ^ "Company: O2 City Hall Newcastle | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  25. ^ "Company: O2 Forum Kentish Town | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  26. ^ "Company: O2 Institute Birmingham | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  27. ^ "Company: O2 Ritz Manchester | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  28. ^ "Company: O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  29. ^ "Company: O2 Victoria Warehouse Manchester | Academy Music Group". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  30. ^ "O2 Guildhall Southampton |". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  31. ^ "O2 Apollo Manchester |". www.academymusicgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  32. ^ https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2026/04/02/hippodrome-to-hold-bigger-audiences-when-venue-reopens/