The opening show was the Al Jolson film The Singing Fool, followed by a variety act, including Heddle Nash and Derek Oldham which was broadcast by the BBC.

In May 1974 planning permission was sought to demolish the Grade II listed building and replace it with a motor showroom and petrol station.

[14] The academy's success steadily grew throughout the 1980s with numerous reggae productions and it was hired out to major rock and pop acts such as The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits and the Police for rehearsal.

[15] Parkes would go on to write a book about his experience of running the venue, Live At The Brixton Academy: A Riotous Life in the Music Business, which was published in 2014.

Under its new ownership (McKenzie Group),[17] reinvestment started immediately, with a complete £500,000 refurbishment of the Art Deco building frontage to its original grandeur, additional facilities both front of house and backstage and a capacity increase to just under 5,000.

The venue is currently run by the Academy Music Group after a rebranding in August 2004[18] and hosts a range of live acts and club nights.

[31] On 15 September 2023 Lambeth Council announced that the venue was permitted to re-open after the incident,[32] providing they meet new licensing conditions including strengthened doors, a new security contractor and additional safety procedures.

[33] The Smiths played their last gig here in December 1986[6] which was an Anti-Apartheid benefit scheduled for the Royal Albert Hall but rearranged to the Brixton Academy due to Johnny Marr being involved in a car accident.

[34] The Ramones played their final European show at the venue on February 3, 1996, before touring for the last time in South and North America.

[8] Artists such as The Clash, Deborah Harry, The Prodigy, Arcade Fire, Nine Inch Nails and Bob Dylan have all played five consecutive nights at the venue.

[7] They were summarily banned from using the same sound system at the venue after the high bass levels started disintegrating the ceiling, resulting in showers of dust and plaster.