Crowd movement accidents at music events: spatial-based analysis of global trends

Aim Tourism and the music industry are developing dynamically globally. Crowd Crush Accidents (CCA) result from combined factors, serving as tragic indicators of systemic failures. The aim is to conduct an exploratory analysis of correlations and trends to improve safety in the field. Objective This study analyzes global patterns and risk factors of fatal crowd-crush accidents (CCAs) at music events between 2000 and 2025, specifically excluding fire-related incidents to focus on mechanical and dynamic triggers. Methods A retrospective statistical analysis was conducted using the Tensor-Based Database of Crowd Accidents (TBDCA), examining the correlations between venue types, musical genres, security interventions, and crowd dynamics. Results The analysis identified 35 fatal CCAs resulting in 325 fatalities. Nightclubs emerged as the highest risk environment, accounting for 36.9% of incidents with a 1.13% fatality rate. Findings reveal that fatalities can occur in relatively small crowds (∼120 people), suggesting the impact of localized force chains. Dynamic crowd movement was present in 77.1% (27/35) of cases. A strong positive correlation was found between security-related triggers—such as raids or irritant spray usage—and fatality rates (r s = 0.545, p < 0.01), particularly exacerbated by club spatial design (r s = 0.779). Conclusions The results underscore the critical need for specialized training for security personnel and venue-specific risk management. Furthermore, linking geographical regions, architectural space, and musical genres to safety outcomes supports the sustainability goals for safer global urban entertainment.