by By Hannah Smith
Nowadays, you don’t have to pay for tickets, travel to venues, or let alone attend concerts to see the performances by your favorite artists. Social media allows users to actively watch concerts via live streams or scroll through countless videos of live performances posted by attendees on multiple platforms. The increased quality of smartphone cameras provides high-definition videos that offer views that only hundreds of dollars could get you at a concert. At this point, do you even need to go to a concert to enjoy a performance?
Music lovers put an immense amount of time, money, and effort into attending concerts. Many concerts and festivals require dedication to attaining tickets, transportation, and accommodations. With the amount of effort that goes into attending a concert being considered, traditional concert attendees are becoming irritated with the ever-changing live music atmosphere. The trending need to simultaneously post content to multiple platforms during a performance has posed as a distraction to others during these events. While social media has offered new avenues for fans to feel included and up to date with their favorite artists, many question whether attendees will uphold the beloved atmosphere of a live show or if concerts are becoming a content-capturing fest.
With that being said, while attending live music performances is an expensive and time-demanding hobby, it is not universally accessible. Social media has allowed for an increase in accessibility to concerts. Attending a live show requires time, money, and the ability to attend. Now, individuals without these resources or abilities can adequately enjoy a performance from the comfort of their own homes. The increase in social media usage at concerts has benefitted many, yet has simultaneously changed the ambiance of live shows.
Due to the accessibility and overall growth of social media, artists have allotted resources to create content and consistently engage on social media platforms to connect with their fans. From a marketing perspective, the ability to target audiences has enabled artists and labels to experiment with alternative themes and ideas, as there is a direct channel with the fans to test marketing strategies. These dynamic avenues bring in multiple streams of income for the artist and management while offering opportunities to grow their career in alternative directions. Rolling Stone magazine, a well-respected music publication, elaborates on the expanding role that social media plays within the music industry in an article released in 2020. Announcing tour information, releasing new music, and career updates is more convenient than ever. This benefits the artist and management, but also the fans. These platforms give fans access to another side of their favorite artists outside of music, as social media often gives continued insight into a person’s life.
The growth of social media is changing aspects of daily living and how we as consumers experience the world. The usage of social media is concurrently altering the way concerts are viewed, experienced, and attended.
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