These days, it seems like musicians are on tour for what seemingly feels like years on end; because they are. As the demand for concerts post-pandemic is higher than ever, artists are eager to get back on the road. Artists are trying to gain back lost time with continuous tours.
Not only are artists yearning to perform, but fans have never wanted to attend live shows in such large capacities. Since 2019, concert attendance has grown by 24%, according to LiveNation.
An increasingly popular trend noticed, is that if the demand for tickets is high, artists will pile on more and more dates to their never-ending tours. This leaves room for fans to wonder if the artists are even performing because they enjoy it, or if it is just for the money-hungry music industry.
Artists, such as Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes canceled their tours earlier this year, leaving fans to be confused, worried, and even angry at their favorite musicians. However, Mendes posted a message to social media announcing to his fans days before his tour began claiming he needed time to reflect on his mental health, as advised by his doctors.
Non-stop touring can negatively impact artists’ mental and physical health, as well as burn them out and lead them to quit music altogether. The expectations that are held by their fans can also be destructive to artists’ mindsets. Knowing that fans have traveled hundreds of miles to see their favorite artists and spent hundreds, and even thousands, of dollars on tickets, this could leave artists always striving to accomplish something more than what is attainable.
Not only does canceling shows or tours lead to financial losses for artists and fans, but it can also damage the artist’s reputation. If shows are consistently canceled, fans will not want to buy tickets, due to the risk of losing money and time. Research shows that if tours are shorter, fewer shows need to be canceled.
Increasingly, popular performers such as Harry Styles and Taylor Swift contribute to the extended tour narrative. After Swift performs consistently for three hours every night, Swift and her team decided to add twenty-plus more dates to her tour, which leaves fans wondering about her health. Likewise, Harry Styles has toured for years on end with no breaks in between, having to cancel shows due to illness in the process.
Although these issues are not commonly discussed in the industry, because it is a privilege to tour, these actions can have lifelong effects on artists. Tours can have many benefits, but it is essential to understand the detrimental effects that may arise for both artists and their fans.
