Since the beginning of human life, music has been an essential part of the global identity. From a tool for wooing others to simply being able to express meaning in a novel way, music has always been a driving force of communication in which anyone can find wonder. Typically, music is enjoyed through audio, something to listen to on a car ride or while doing work. Still, there are always occasions when not only is it something to listen to but something to be watched in a performance! As an essential part of pop culture, concerts became treasured events where one can witness music being performed right before them, make unforgettable memories, and experience the raw connection between common people. These special and exclusive experiences have always been in-person and “intimate” between the artist and fans. But, with tickets getting more expensive and events getting even more difficult to attend, a problem arises: Inaccessibility. From COVID-19 to the up-priced reselling of tickets, it’s become near impossible to access the concerts one may want to attend. However, in the current age of technological advancements, emerges a remedial alternative. Digital concerts.
Although these can’t be considered as something invented recently, there have been a few digital concerts that have impacted pop culture like never before. There have been recordings of musical performances since the early 1900s when sound was introduced to film, but those will not be discussed in this article, nor will the modern use of TikTok in its short recordings and the like. This article will be referring to the type of concerts that occur in venues where you typically have to purchase tickets. Even in the largest venues, seating can be limited depending on the size of an artist and their fanbase, leading some stadiums to sell out in minutes. There are also larger companies that may purchase tickets to sell at a higher rate than the original, making it nearly impossible for the casual listener to watch concerts they may want to see.
The ubiquitous example is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, a concert tour(beginning March 14, 2023) that performed 149 concerts over approximately 630 days across five continents. In the duration of Swift’s touring, each ticket price averaged $1088.56 (according to Sporting News), becoming among the most coveted concerts of 2023–this means that nearly every one of her concerts was sold out immediately, estimating 4.35 million tickets. By the time the tour rolled around to Houston, Texas, incredibly few students at the Village School could manage to get their hands on a ticket. But here’s the problem: She has garnered a fanbase of roughly 22.56% of the global population, also known as upwards of a billion people(Estimated by Statista), which happens to be far more than the number of concert seats available. And then, for all Swift fans feeling left out came “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”. This film was accessible from all AMC, making it viewable to anyone with ten dollars and/or a Disney+ subscription. It covered the typical concert experience and more!
Other examples would include:
- Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour
- Ariana Grande: Excuse me, I love you
- Homecoming: A Film by Beyonce
The vast majority of these concert-made movies took videos of in-person experiences, recreating the original immersion that live performance has through high-quality filming and editing. The only issue was that this was not an available option when a music-enjoying society needed it most.
From March 15, 2020 to May 11, 2023, all plans hit a stump in the face of the havoc-wreaking pandemic, COVID-19 (Also known as the Coronavirus). During this period, the vast majority of society was thrown into a lockdown with curfews, quarantines, and stay-at-home orders as a global response to the virus, leading to a halt in all confluence and in-person socialization. In this “era”, work and education were tossed into the confusing Zoom classrooms. With all public events on a standstill, and all interaction thrown into the online world, new solutions had to be made. Hence, Lil Naz X created a revelatory fix that no one expected: a Roblox concert. Having over 35 million views on his performance, Lil Naz X set in motion this new, novel experience, with artists like David Guetta, Charlie XCX, and several others following in his footsteps.
Compared to the actual experience, there are of course drawbacks, but it gave fans who couldn’t go the chance to witness some semblance of the real thing through the screens. Musical performance has the ability to strengthen bonds globally, yet is limited by so many factors like accessibility and price. Especially for the younger age groups and students who may lack the opportunity to make it in person, digital concerts have become the perfect answer. With the power of technology, humanity has achieved methods of sharing art in ways that make it possible for anyone to participate, from a limited to limitless experience.
References:
Sutelan, E. (2024, February 15). Taylor Swift Concert Ticket prices: How eras tour compares to buying Super Bowl 58 tickets. Sporting News.
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/taylor-swift-concert-ticket-prices-eras-tour-super-bowl-58/b5204587f274327cdf0f3e72
Published by Statista Research Department, & 22, N. (2024, November 22). U.S.: Share of self-identified Taylor Swift fans by age 2023. Statista.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1416130/share-of-us-respondents-who-consider-themselves-taylor-swift-fans-age/
