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Publications and critics have reported on and analyzed the cultural, economic and sociopolitical influence of the Eras Tour, the 2023–2024 concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the highest-grossing tour in history. Driven by a fan frenzy called Swiftmania, the tour's impact is considered an outcome of Swift's wider influence on the 21st-century popular culture. A range of publications dubbed her the highlight of 2023; '' Time'' picked Swift as the
Person of the Year __NOTOC__ Person of the Year or Man of the Year is an award given to an individual by any type of organization. Most often, it is given by a newspaper or other news outlet to annually recognize a public person. Such awards have typically been awa ...
—the first and only person from the arts to achieve the honor. '' Pollstar'' called the Eras Tour "The Greatest Show on Earth". The Eras Tour, as Swift's first tour following the COVID-19 lockdowns, caused an economic demand shock fueled by the public's increased affinity for entertainment. It recorded unprecedented ticket sale registrations across the globe, such as over 22 million customers virtually queueing for the Singapore tickets. The first sale in the United States crashed controversially, drawing censure from bipartisan lawmakers, who proposed implementation of price regulation and anti- scalping laws at state and federal levels. Legal scholar
William Kovacic William Evan Kovacic (born 1952) is an American legal scholar who served as a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 2006 to 2011, including as its chairman from 2008 to 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. Kovacic is ...
called it the "Taylor Swift policy adjustment". Price gouging due to the tour was highlighted in the national legislatures of Brazil, Ireland, and the UK. Characterized by trickle-down and multiplier effects, elevated commercial activity and economy were reported in cities visited by the tour, which boosted local businesses, the hospitality industry, clothing sales, public transport revenues, and tourism. ''
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'' estimated the tour's net consumer spending to be $4.6 billion in the US. Cities such as
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, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis and Santa Clara renamed themselves to honor Swift; prominent structures such as the Willis Tower, Space Needle, and Christ the Redeemer paid tributes; and organizations like the
Museum of Arts & Design The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), based in Manhattan, New York City, collects, displays, and interprets objects that document contemporary and historic innovation in craft, art, and design. In its exhibitions and educational programs, the mus ...
,
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, Country Music Hall of Fame,
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, Carnegie Science Center and Gateway Clipper Fleet hosted events and exhibitions. A number of politicians, such as Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and Chilean president Gabriel Boric, petitioned Swift to tour their countries. Beyond sold-out stadiums, the tour attracted large crowds of ticketless spectators tailgating outside the venues, such as over 60,000 people in Philadelphia, and was a ubiquitous subject in news cycles and social media content, receiving constant press coverage to the point some journalists considered it omnipresent television. On record charts, Swift's discography experienced surges in album sales and streams; she became the first living artist to have seven albums in the top 40 of the ''Billboard'' 200 and the first to chart six albums in the top 10 of the ARIA Albums Chart. Her 2019 song " Cruel Summer" achieved a newfound popularity and became one of her most successful singles. The accompanying concert film of the tour, which became the highest-grossing concert film of all time, featured an atypical film distribution strategy that bypassed major film studios to directly partner with movie theaters and caused a number of other films to shift their release dates.


Demand and geopolitics

American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is often recognized for her success and
cultural impact Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these grou ...
. Her concert tours have all been increasingly lucrative. After taking a break from touring due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, she announced the sixth headlining concert tour of her career, the Eras Tour, in November 2022. The first United States leg of the tour was announced in November 2022, with 27 concerts across 20 cities. The Latin American, European, Australian and Asian dates were announced in June 2023, visiting 26 cities; popular demand led Swift to increase the number of tour dates in all the continents multiple times. In the end, the Eras Tour became the most expansive tour of Swift's career domestically and globally, with 62 US shows and 89 international shows, for a total of 151 shows. Some countries that were expected to receive dates for the tour were absent in Swift's announcements in June 2023, drawing dismay and demands from
Swifties Swifties are the fandom of the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Regarded by journalists as one of the largest, most devoted, and influential fan bases, Swifties are known for their high levels of participation, creativity, community, ...
and officials in those territories. As such, the tour had a political impact. ''
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'' reported that politicians and government officials were "clamoring for a glimpse of the Eras Tour": * Gabriel Boric, the 35th president of Chile, wrote to Swift, requesting her to bring the tour to Chile. * Members of the Canadian Parliament filed a grievance with the Speaker of the House of Commons, displeased with the Eras Tour "snubbing" Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invited Swift to tour Canada. One month later, Swift announced six shows in Toronto, followed by three shows in Vancouver later that year. * Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony wrote a letter to Swift, requesting the tour in Hungary. * In Australia, the Eras Tour is set to stop at Sydney and Melbourne for seven dates in total; fans and politicians in the excluded Australian states ( Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia) expressed their dismay at the tour not visiting their major cities ( Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth, respectively). ABC News journalist Antonia O'Flaherty reported that Brisbane was "definitely holding dates" for the tour at
Lang Park Lang Park, also known as Brisbane Football Stadium, by the sponsored name Suncorp Stadium, and nicknamed: 'The Cauldron', is a multi-purpose stadium in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, located in the suburb of Milton. The current facility co ...
but was dropped after finalized Asian and European dates left only two weeks for Australia. * New Zealand finance minister Grant Robertson stated, although he was disappointed and despite Swift's popularity and the potential economic boom, he would not spend public money on campaigning for the tour. Nick Sautner, CEO of Auckland's
Eden Park Eden Park is New Zealand's largest sports stadium, with a capacity of 50,000. Located in central Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, it is three kilometres southwest of the CBD, on the boundary between the suburbs of Mount Eden and King ...
, claimed he could not compete with the funding of Australia's Eras Tour campaign. *
Pita Limjaroenrat Pita Limjaroenrat ( th, พิธา ลิ้มเจริญรัตน์, , ; born 5 September 1980), nicknamed Tim ( th, ทิม), is a Thai politician and businessman. A member of the House of Representatives, Pita is the leader of ...
, leader of the Move Forward Party, petitioned Swift to bring the Eras Tour to Thailand; he noted that the country had become a democracy in the years following the
2014 Thai coup d'état On 22 May 2014, the Royal Thai Armed Forces, led by General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Commander of the Royal Thai Army (RTA), launched a coup d'état, the 12th since the country's first coup in 1932, against the caretaker government of Thailand, foll ...
which led to the cancellation of her show in Bangkok for the Red Tour. * In January 2024, Jaw Shaw-kong, a member of the opposition Kuomintang party in Taiwan (
Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
), stated in a televised debate as part of the campaigns preceding the 2024 Taiwanese presidential and legislative body elections that he had invited Swift to hold a concert at the newly inaugurated
Taipei Dome The Taipei Dome () also known as the Farglory Dome (), is a multi-purpose stadium, multi-purpose domed stadium under construction located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Xinyi, Taipei, Taiwan, that was originally scheduled to start construction in 2 ...
. He claimed that Swift initially agreed to perform but later declined due to "geopolitical risks"—the nature of the bilateral relations between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China. British newspaper '' The Independent'' opined that the elections have been "heavily targeted in hinesestate media propaganda as a choice between war and peace", amid increased
Chinese military The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...
activity around Taiwan. The Taiwanese Ministry of Culture neither denied or confirmed Jaw's claims but said several international artists have performed in Taiwan.
Kaohsiung Kaohsiung City (Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsi ...
mayor Chen Chi-mai described Jaw's claim about Swift as an attempt to manipulate voters. Swift included neither China nor Taiwan in the Eras Tour, despite her large fanbases there. * Vice-President of the European Commission,
Margaritis Schinas Margaritis Schinas (Greek: Μαργαρίτης Σχοινάς; ; born 28 July 1962) is a Greek politician and former civil servant. He took office in December 2019 as a vice-president in the Von der Leyen Commission with the portfolio of Europea ...
, exhorted Swift to help reverse the "historically low" voter turnout in the upcoming European Parliament election by speaking about it on the European leg of the Eras Tour. Indonesia and the Philippines were not included on the Eras Tour, despite much anticipation. Media outlets had reported large crowds of fans gathered in various Philippine malls to watch recreations of the Eras Tour by Taylor Sheesh, a Filipino drag queen and Swift impersonator. '' Quartz'' reported that the Indonesian minister of tourism and creative economy, Sandiaga Uno, had taken note of the Eras Tour skipping Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, and decided to ease the permit process for international touring acts. Unprecedented demand for the Eras Tour tickets were further reported in countries such as Argentina (three million customers), Australia (four million), Canada (31 million), France (one million), and Singapore (22 million).


Price regulation

In the US, inefficient presale of the Eras Tour tickets by Ticketmaster on November 15, 2022, resulted in a highly publicized controversy. Before the presale, Ticketmaster reported that it received a record-breaking 3.5 million registrations. CNN Business stated that the "astronomical" demand indicated Swift's popularity. On the presale day, Ticketmaster's website crashed and froze due to "historically unprecedented demand". Greg Maffei, chairman of
Live Nation Entertainment Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American global entertainment company and monopoly that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The company promotes, operates, and manages ticket sales for live entertainme ...
, said Ticketmaster prepared for 1.5 million verified fans, but 14 million showed up. Ticketmaster also cancelled the November 18 sale due to their inability to meet demand. Swift's fans, upset and enraged with the debacle, accused Ticketmaster of deceit and poor customer service. The topic soon became a subject of public criticism and political scrutiny, as consumer groups criticized Ticketmaster for its allegedly flawed and incompetent systems. US lawmakers, including attorneys general and members of the Congress, took notice of the issue, which became a subject of multiple congressional inquiries. The US Department of Justice opened an
antitrust Competition law is the field of law that promotes or seeks to maintain market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies. Competition law is implemented through public and private enforcement. It is also known as antitrust l ...
investigation into Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster. Media publications deemed the controversy a testament to Swift's influence and said it could bode well for the music industry by propelling conversations about economic inequality and antitrust laws in the US. Inspired by the fiasco, various US Congress and
state legislature A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...
members proposed and enacted a string of bills to ban scalping bots and regulate pricing model. The US
Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...
proposed to outlaw junk fees in the country following the controversy, and the National Economic Council, headed by American President Joe Biden, pressed platforms to abandon junk fees in all prices—not just event tickets but for resort bookings and rental costs as well. American legal scholar
William Kovacic William Evan Kovacic (born 1952) is an American legal scholar who served as a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 2006 to 2011, including as its chairman from 2008 to 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. Kovacic is ...
called the move "the Taylor Swift policy adjustment." According to Carolyn Sloane, assistant professor of economics at the University of California, Riverside, the tour's fiasco spurred mass political action as Swift "has scaled her talent through demographic technology". Following the bipartisan censure of Ticketmaster at a US Senate hearing, ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' opined that Ticketmaster had the public's despise and thus made an "easy target for rare bipartisan political action". '' The Washington Post'' stated the tour fiasco "was so bad it united the parties", whereas CNN, in an article titled "One Nation, Under Swift", said that Swift's fans united the two parties in a way "the
Founding Fathers The following list of national founding figures is a record, by country, of people who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e. ...
failed to anticipate". The tour's difficult ticket sales garnered international political attention as well. '' Forbes'' reported widespread scalping of the tickets in the United Kingdom, with immediate re-listing on sites like StubHub and Viagogo for extortionate prices. Viagogo responded that "the European leg of Taylor Swift's Eras tour has been long anticipated. We've not seen anything like this since the Beatles and with tickets having only just gone on sale, demand is at its peak right now". Reuters reported that the resale prices of Eras Tour tickets were US$1000 more than other touring acts. Kevin Brennan, a Member of Parliament from Cardiff, demanded a debate in the UK House of Commons on ticket scalpers and the government's plans to tackle them. In Ireland, politician Thomas Pringle spoke in the
Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...
, the
lower house A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...
of the Irish Parliament, criticizing the "rampant price gouging" in Dublin during the tour's stop in the city as "disgraceful display of greed" by local hotels. William Watson, writing for the '' Financial Post'', opined that the lawmakers from the
Liberal Party of Canada The Liberal Party of Canada (french: Parti libéral du Canada, region=CA) is a federal political party in Canada. The party espouses the principles of liberalism,McCall, Christina; Stephen Clarkson"Liberal Party". ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' ...
, including Trudeau, will attempt to "Nationalization, nationalize" the distribution of the tour's tickets in Canada in an attempt to win over Swift's fans for 45th Canadian federal election, the upcoming elections. In Brazil, more than 10 scalpers were arrested for trying to resell tickets originally priced at around (US$1,250) at significantly higher prices. Simone Marquetto, a member of the Chamber of Deputies (Brazil), Brazilian Chamber of Deputies for São Paulo, proposed increasing the maximum prison sentence for scalping from to four years and Fine (penalty), fines up to 100 times the price set by scalpers.


Economy and commerce

The Eras Tour fueled the commerce and economies of various cities and territories. According to ''Billboard'', "the arrival of Eras in a new town every weekend brought with it not only an avalanche of hype, media attention and near-groveling from the host cities, but enough traveling business to give local economies a notable boost." Financial analysts called it the "TSwift Lift" to the economy after the COVID-19 recession. ''The Wall Street Journal'' coined the term "Taylornomics" to explain the economics involved in and around the Eras Tour. Economist Mara Klaunig stated that "people are willing to travel far and wide to see [Swift]", making the tour a unique case of economic study. A number of business executives reported the tour's favourable impact on their companies' performance.


Local business

The Federal Reserve credited Swift with boosting the US economy at large. In urban areas, the tour boosted the hospitality industry, including hotels, local businesses and tourism revenues by millions of dollars. Various restaurants, bars, parks and other businesses organized Swift-themed activities and events, as well as special menus. Such Swift-themed eatables and articles quickly ran out of stock in various food outlets and retailers. The economic impact of Swift's Eras tour has been compared to sporting events such as the Olympic Games, Super Bowl, and FIFA World Cup. Reports from some cities and regions are listed below: * The first shows in Glendale were more profitable for local businesses than Super Bowl LVII. * The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority credited the tour with restoring the economy of Las Vegas to "pre-pandemic levels". * The three-day stop in Tampa, Florida, Tampa caused a huge increase in demand for hotel rooms, car-parking services and clothing stores; the concerts generated US$730,000 in taxes for the city. * According to the Houston First Corporation, the three-night stop at NRG Stadium resulted in Houston's highest hotel revenue week of 2023. * Nashville, Tennessee reported $28 million in hotel revenue from two nights. * All hotel rooms, restaurant reservations, and train tickets were sold out in Boston days before the Eras Tour shows in nearby Foxborough, Massachusetts. * Chicago's Eras Tour dates marked the highest hotel occupancy in the city's history, contributing to the state of Illinois recording its highest hotel revenue ever in a fiscal year. * Per Booking.com, the average hotel room prices in Pittsburgh, Minneapolis and Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City increased three to five folds in anticipation of the tour; the hotel occupancy rate in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania approached 100% and reservation platforms crashed due to web traffic. * Eras Tour-related consumer spending in Cincinnati was estimated to be $48 million. * The tour's two nights in Denver was predicted to add $140 million into Colorado's economy. * In Seattle, downtown hotels reported a record-breaking $7.4 million in revenue, $2 million more than the record set by a Major League Baseball All-Star Game earlier in the same month. * Hotel occupancy rates in Santa Clara were at least 98% weeks before the tour arrived to the city. The tour's two nights generated an estimated $33.5 million in economic impact to Santa Clara County, California, Santa Clara County, comparable to National Football League matches. * A Trade union, labor union representing hotel workers from 60 hotels in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles and Orange County, California, Orange counties were at strike since their contracts with the hotels expired on June 30, 2023. A week before the Eras Tour's six Los Angeles concerts, the union protested outside the Hyatt Regency LAX with posters inspired by the Eras Tour aesthetics and an open letter to Swift, which claimed that her concerts make the hotels "a lot of money" and urged her to postpone the concerts in solidarity with the strike. A dozen Californian politicians, including Eleni Kounalakis, the Lieutenant Governor of California, signed a petition asking Swift to postpone the concerts. The tour in Los Angeles generated a $320 million boost to the county's gross domestic product (GDP). * Swift's shows in Mexico City generated an estimated (US$59 million) in revenue across the city. * ''Veja (magazine), Veja'' estimated a "tremendous" (US$74 million) economic boost for Brazil during the tour. * ''Evening Standard'' reported that, according to data from Barclays, presales for the Eras Tour boosted consumer spending in the UK in July 2023. For the June 2024 dates of the UK leg, hotels in Edinburgh, Liverpool and Cardiff sold out by August 2023.


Civil transport

CNN labeled Swift a "public transit savior", reporting that transit agencies received a "much-needed" post-pandemic boost, thanks to concert-goers commuting via subways, buses, and trains to and from the Eras Tour venues. The ''Los Angeles Times'' reported cities across the US saw "ridership surge" from the Eras Tour attendees who chose to take transit. In Atlanta, around 140,000 fans took transit to reach the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, tripling the usual ridership. In Chicago, the tour generated 43,000 bus and train trips, resulting in the highest weekly ridership for the transit system since 2019. In cases of inadequacy, special trains were announced for concertgoers with extended service in places such as Minneapolis, Sacramento, California, Sacramento, Greater Los Angeles, and Mexico City. Flight bookings to and within Australia peaked around the tour dates, especially arrivals from New Zealand and South Korea. A number of airlines facilitated special arrangements for Eras Tour attendees, such as: * Air New Zealand experienced what it dubbed the "Swift surge"—people rushing to book flights to Australia, where Swift was announced to perform in February 2023. The airline added 14 more flights from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch to Sydney and Melbourne. * Philippine Airlines promoted flights from Manila to Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne, and Singapore. * After Swift postponed her second Buenos Aires show by two days due to inclement weather, LATAM Airlines Group, LATAM Airlines, Sky Airline and JetSmart Argentina allowed fans to rebook flight tickets at no cost. Industry executives called the move "highly unusual". *LATAM would continue with their flexibility policy and waived all the fees or any differences in fare for ticket-holders who would book return flights from Rio de Janeiro following the postponement of the second date from November 18 to November 20 due to extreme heat and Death of Ana Clara Benevides, the death of a fan, with Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, Gol Linhas Aéreas, and Azul Brazilian Airlines following suit.


Economic theory

The economics of the Eras Tour has been termed "Swiftonomics" by economists and journalists. It was first coined by economic analyst Augusta Saraiva, who stated that the tour's unprecedented ticket sales represented a "post-COVID demand shock" in the US, with consumers prioritizing entertainment over an imminent recession. Economics academic Melissa Kearney wrote that COVID-19 affected the public's views about "what's really important to them, and what brings them joy." ''Los Angeles Times'' defined Swiftonomics as a Microeconomics, microeconomic theory that explains Swift's supply and demand, and political impact following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chair of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, stated "it's good to see" the Eras Tour helping the American economy but cautioned "stronger growth could lead over time to higher inflation and that would require an appropriate response from Monetary policy of the United States, monetary policy... So we'll be watching that carefully and seeing how it evolves over time." The demand shock was also further reported in Argentina and Australia. Economists who observed the inflation in Southeast Asia termed it "Swiftflation". Marketing professor Seshan Ramaswami wrote that the Eras Tour is one of the significant steps in a movement involving the Government of Singapore's conscious attempts to expand the demographic reach of the city-state's cultural tourism "to young music fans... From all over Asia and perhaps even the Middle East". Following the tour's tie-up with the United Overseas Bank for premium tickets in Singapore, the bank reported a record (US$76 million) in income from credit card fees, an 89% increase from the previous year in the quarter. ''Irish Examiner'' said that concert spending improved by 88% in Ireland thanks to Swift. According to a survey by online research company QuestionPro, 58% of the Eras Tour attendees were between ages 35 and 64, 37% between ages 18 and 34, and less than 5% under age 18. The tour's economic valuation was also estimated to be $5 billion, higher than the GDP of 50 countries. QuestionPro later increased the estimate to $6.3 billion in the US and Canada. Other economic agencies projected an impact as high as $80 billion globally. According to ''Business Insider, Insider'', one movie studio marketing team found that attendees of the Eras Tour spent an average of $300 per concert. Business magazine ''
Fortune Fortune may refer to: General * Fortuna or Fortune, the Roman goddess of luck * Luck * Wealth * Fortune, a prediction made in fortune-telling * Fortune, in a fortune cookie Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''The Fortune'' (1931 film) ...
'' reported that fans spent an average of $1,300 on tickets, travel, and clothes to attend the tour, implying that the Eras Tour could raise $4.6 billion in consumer spending in the US, and consequently "save" the US from recession. MarketWatch named Swift one of the most influential persons in the stock market, reporting that "vigorous consumer spending epitomized by the Eras Tour helped the U.S. avert a widely predicted summer recession." Similar sentiments were raised by journalists in other countries. ''The Guardian'' business columnist Greg Jericho opined that the Eras Tour could save Australia from recession as well. Journalist Swati Pandey wrote, "as recession risks in Australia mount, one unexpected factor could deliver a boost to the economy just when it's under maximum pressure from the Reserve Bank of Australia, Reserve Bank's aggressive interest rate increases: Taylor Swift." ''The Globe and Mail'' Tony Keller claimed Swift is the solution to the issues in the Canadian economy. Maria Psyllou, economics professor from the University of Birmingham, called the Eras Tour a "complex economic environment". She wrote that the consumers' readiness to spend their money on the tour despite an ongoing global economic deceleration is an example of the trickle-down effect, an economic principle explaining the success of high-income individuals benefitting lower sectors of society, stimulating economic growth and opportunities for a wider spectrum of businesses in turn. Pysllou stated, the Eras Tour shows "the audience's willingness to Resource allocation, allocate their resources to experiences they have missed—travel, entertainment, leisure—during the pandemic" and is "a testament to the potent interplay between culture, economics, and human behavior." Anne Steele and Sarah Krouse from ''The Wall Street Journal'' opined that the Eras Tour is an example of "women's Multiplier (economics), multiplier effect", showing how women's entertainment can impact the economy.


Mass media

The Eras Tour was a phenomenon in mass media, especially on social media. Various moments and events of and during the tour became topics of news coverage and wide social media engagement, both domestically and internationally. To Horton, it grew into a "mass cultural moment", generating "unceasing buzz" and "a vast, ever-expanding digital world of clips, reactions, live-streams, dissections and analysis"; hence, apart from just Swift's performances, the mythology, celebrity gossip and fan culture surrounding the tour drove 24-hour news cycle, news cycles, expanding the "Swiftverse and dissolving its borders with everything else even further." She described the Eras Tour as "not so much as a series of concerts, but as an ongoing, sprawling, interactive and ever-mutating reality show, with new chapters every week." Media outlets reported on the numerous fan-run livestreams of each tour show, viewed by thousands of people on TikTok nightly. According to telecommunications company AT&T, fans set data usage records on the company's network in numerous stadiums. Various brands, celebrities and companies posted parodies of the Eras Tour poster on social media. A topic of constant media coverage, a large number of celebrities across various fields such as Film industry, cinema, Television program, television, Music industry, music and Sport industry, sports attended the Eras Tour, leading to ''Billboard'' described the Eras Tour as a "genuinely epic event". ''Billboard'' wrote "none of Swift's peers has enjoyed the kind of cultural cachet she has attained." Culture journalist Kate Lindsay dubbed the tour "post-reality TV" in her ''Substack'' newsletter. According to Tyler Foggatt of ''The New Yorker'', Swift "has done to stadium shows what Beyoncé did to Coachella (festival), Coachella, and to millennials what Bruce Springsteen did to baby boomers. She has crafted a spectacle—a long-form, real-life experience in an age that is otherwise dominated by Short-form video, short-form online content—though the tour is also perfectly designed to be consumed online." ''Billboard'' critics agreed that Swift has dominated 2023 commercially and culturally, and some of them opined that the persisting success of ''Midnights'', followed by the Eras Tour, and Swift's release of ''Speak Now (Taylor's Version)'' in July 2023 could "overexpose" Swift once again. ''Glamour (magazine), Glamour'' raised the same concern, stating Swift has dominated all aspects of popular culture in 2023, resulting in a "Swift monoculture". ''The Hollywood Reporter'' opined, Swift became a "queen of all media" with the tour, dominating the concert, streaming and film spheres; ''Deadline Hollywood'' referred to Swift as "The Monarch of All Media". Following the media frenzy surrounding Swift in Brazil, ''Vulture (magazine), Vulture'' opined Swift "might actually be more popular than Jesus in the country." ''Dictionary.com'' named the word "Era" the "Vibe of the Year" of 2023. Grant Barrett, head of lexicography at the firm, opined that they "saw a real surge in the use of ''eras'' across popular culture" in 2023, owing to the Eras Tour, "the year's most high-profile, record-setting, impossible-to-ignore cultural phenomenon". Mary Kate Carr of ''The A.V. Club'' wrote "From her tabloid-famous romances to the blockbuster success of her re-recordings to the incredible economic impact of Eras Tour, there wasn't a facet of Popular culture, pop culture that Swift's influence didn't reach".


Fanaticism

The fan frenzy associated with the tour has been dubbed "Swiftmania" or similar terms. ''The Irish Times'' held it responsible for "pushing up prices", leading to the Swiftflation phenomenon. Journalists considered Swiftmania as the 21st-century equivalent to Beatlemania, a 1960s cultural phenomenon owing to the fanaticism surrounding the English rock band the Beatles. Jon Bream of ''Star Tribune'' opined that Swift has achieved "a once unthinkable monoculture, a zeitgeistian redux of Beatlemania". Media outlets have noted the extensive audience participation on the Eras Tour, particularly the various "inside joke" chants and rituals that the crowds performed together at each show. Outlets also reported that many fans experienced a "post-concert amnesia", struggling to remember the concert after attending it. Psychologists explained that intensely happy emotions have the same effect on the brain as Psychological trauma, traumatic events, and can lead to loss of memory, as the "highly stimulating environment" of the show overwhelms the amount of information the brain can handle at a time.


Tailgating

Large numbers of fans who did not have tickets to the Eras Tour gathered outside the venues in various cities to listen to Swift performing, a tailgate party phenomenon media outlets and fans termed "Taylor-gating". According to NBC News, such gatherings in open spaces outside the stadium premises have been attributed to a sense or experience of community within Swift's fandom. Thousands gathered in Tampa, Philadelphia and Nashville, among other cities, following which people "shared positive experiences" about Taylor-gating via TikTok, leading to growing crowds at subsequent shows. The Philadelphia shows attracted around 20,000 ticketless fans every night. In Chicago, fans occupied the public parks outside Soldier Field, where the concert was "clearly" audible. Cincinnati allocated adjacent park areas for the 41,000 Taylor-gaters. In Mexico City, stands outside the venue Foro Sol were opened for tailgaters. As the practice grew in popularity, some cities and stadium authorities prohibited tailgating due to security reasons. New Jersey State Police issued a warning on May 26, 2023, asking those without tickets not to gather outside the concert venue in East Rutherford. Levi's Stadium, the venue for the Santa Clara concerts, similarly prohibited tailgating and asked fans not to congregate in the parking lots or nearby streets. Other cities that banned tailgating include Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City and Inglewood, California, Inglewood. Some companies hiring temporary workers or volunteers to work at venues reported a surge in applications from fans who could not get tickets to the Eras Tour, with one company receiving over 1,000 applications for 65 positions. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, fans with general admission tickets camped outside the concert venue, Estadio Monumental (Buenos Aires), Estadio River Plate, in tents for five months in order to secure front-row positions on the floor during the shows.


Merchandise

Concert attendees and Taylor-gating fans made friendship bracelets, carrying song titles or references to Swift's music and colloquialisms, to trade with each other or give to celebrity attendees, inspired by lyrics in Swift's 2022 song "You're on Your Own, Kid". The trend also grew amongst celebrities, such as Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong'o, who made and shared bracelets at the tour. Swift herself commented on the making and sharing of bracelets, which ''The New York Times'' dubbed the "badge of the Swiftie fandom". The bracelets became a significant business for shops online; '' The Washington Post'' reported $3 million of bracelets were sold on e-commerce website Etsy between the months of April and August in 2023. Some bead shops saw a record-setting surge in sales; arts and crafts supply store Michaels reported a chain-wide increase in sales of more than 40% on their jewelry range, and up to 500% in locations that the tour visited. Shortages in beads and sequins supply were also reported. The Eras Tour merchandise trucks drew uncommonly long queues at all stops of the tour. ''The New York Times'' reported that hundreds of fans waited outside the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, overnight in the rain to purchase the merchandise before it sold out. In Los Angeles, more than 3,000 fans queued for the merchandise stands outside SoFi Stadium. ''The Wall Street Journal'' estimated that $3 million worth of merchandise is sold at every stop of the tour. According to Universal Music Group (UMG), the success of tour helped boost merchandising revenue by 12 percent, compensating the decline in touring revenue during the pandemic. '' Pollstar'' estimated the first 60 shows in 2023 collected $200 million in revenue from merchandise sales. ''The Messenger (website), The Messenger'' reported that the confetti gathered from the Eras Tour evolved into its own niche market—being sold online at prices ranging from $10 to $200 on eBay and Facebook Marketplace—with some fans recouping full costs of their tickets in the process. Journalist Julia Gray wrote, "Confetti is like an extension of Swift's sought-after, Special edition, limited-release merch. There's an element of scarcity and exclusivity."


Fashion

According to fashion critic Vanessa Friedman, Swift's wardrobe for the Eras Tour received wide press coverage. Tailors reported an increased demand for replicas of Swift's tour outfits. The tour increased the demand in sales of apparel like metallic boots and sequin dresses. According to CNN, fashion and clothing retailers across the US are "carefully" marketing their products to actively target attendees of the Eras Tour. Companies such as Altar'd State, Bipty, and Hazel & Olive created a separate section of items inspired by Swift and her eras. Sales of rhinestone boots and cowboy hats also spiked, helping Hazel & Olive achieve its "biggest sales year yet." ''Vogue (magazine), Vogue'' further noted the tour's impact on Social media in the fashion industry, social media fashion, which used to only be a phenomenon of music festivals such as Coachella; many fans wore replicas of Swift's outfits or costumes based on her music to the concert. Shannon Aducci of ''Footwear News'' opined that Swifties at the Eras Tour shaped the direction of 2023 summer fashion.


Seismic activity

During the tour's stop in Seattle at Lumen Field on July 22 and 23, 2023, fans in the area caused seismic activity equivalent to a Seismic magnitude scales, 2.3-magnitude earthquake, nicknamed the "Swift Quake". It was mostly attributed to the concert attendees jumping, dancing and cheering, as well as the loud sound system. According to Jackie Caplan-Auerbach, a Seismology, seismologist at Western Washington University, the seismic activity on both nights was more than "twice as hard" as the Beast Quake—when Seattle experienced seismic activity equivalent to a 2.0-magnitude earthquake after the 2010 Seattle Seahawks season, Seattle Seahawks scored a touchdown against the 2010 New Orleans Saints season, New Orleans Saints during a National Football League (NFL) game—as well as "RaveQuakes" during important Seattle Sounders soccer games.


Music charts

Swift's discography gained in sales and streams following the Eras Tour. ''Billboard'' reported that Swift's entire discography rose in daily streams, especially the songs on the setlist. She ultimately became the year-end top artist of 2023 on the Billboard charts, ''Billboard'' charts—the first-ever act to become the year-end top artist in three different decades (after 2009 and 2015). Swift was 2023's most streamed artist on Apple Music and Spotify; on Apple Music, she set an all-time record for the most listeners for any artist in a year. Seven of Swift's albums charted in the top 40 regions of the US ''Billboard'' 200, making Swift the first living artist to do so. ''Midnights'' charted at number 3, ''Lover'' at number 13, ''Folklore'' at number 14, ''1989'' at number 19, ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' at number 22, ''Reputation'' at number 26, and ''Evermore'' at number 31. Whitney Houston was the first artist to chart seven albums in the top 40, but she did so posthumously. Several weeks later, Swift became the first artist to simultaneously chart eight albums in the top 40 and nine albums in the top 50, and after the release of ''Speak Now (Taylor's Version)'', became the first woman to chart four albums in the top 10 and 11 albums overall in a single week. Later in 2023, after the release of ''1989 (Taylor's Version)'', she surpassed her own record by charting five albums in the top 10 of the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming the first living artist to achieve the feat. Luminate Data reports accounted 1.79 percent of the US music market in 2023 to Swift alone—the largest annual share for an artist. The report claimed that if Swift were a genre, she would be the 9th most consumed genre of 2023, bigger than jazz entirely and trailing only behind Christian music. Following the Australian ticket sales in June 2023, Swift charted six albums in the ARIA Albums Chart top 10, becoming the first artist to occupy the entire top five. Following the opening shows of the Eras Tour, five of Swift's albums entered the top 40 of the UK Albums Chart. Swift's 2019 song " Cruel Summer" achieved resurgent success in 2023. The Eras Tour concerts begin with the ''Lover (album), Lover'' act, in which "Cruel Summer" is the second song performed. The song resurged in popularity and streaming after it became viral on social media, re-entering the top 50 in the US and the top 40 in the UK. Therefore, Swift's label Republic Records released the song as the fifth single from ''Lover'', her seventh studio album from 2019, to US contemporary hit radio on June 20, 2023. "Cruel Summer" entered the singles charts for the first time in various countries and reached new peaks in the Philippines (1), Singapore (1), the US (1), Japan (2), Australia (3), the UK (3), Indonesia (5), New Zealand (5), Canada (6), Malaysia (8), Ireland (12), and Brazil (54). On Spotify, "Cruel Summer" was the sixth most-streamed song globally in 2023, and ''Lover'' was the seventh most-streamed album globally in 2023. Swift's 2014 single "Blank Space" re-entered the US Hot 100 (49), and the singles chart in the Netherlands (17). It debuted and reached new peaks in Singapore (13), the Philippines (25), Vietnam (57), and the Billboard Global 200, ''Billboard'' Global 200 chart (40) that was inaugurated in 2020. ''Billboard'' Andrew Unterberger wrote, the "really unprecedented thing" about the Eras Tour's streaming impact is that "the initial bump did not start receding back to its usual sea after a week or two [as with the case of artists than Swift]—it continued to grow. And grow." He reported that even at the tenth week of the tour, Swift's discography showed a 79% increase in streams from where it was pre-tour, amassing "hundreds of millions more streams" weekly. Commenting on the resurgent success of "Cruel Summer", ''Billboard'' editor Jason Lipshutz stated, "a ''Lover'' track organically rising to new heights at the same time simply demonstrates Swift's current ubiquity, unprecedented in the modern music era."


Cinema

Swift announced the tour's accompanying concert film, ''Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour'', on August 31, 2023. North American tickets went on sale immediately, and despite AMC Theatres, the film's official distributor, upgrading its online infrastructure in anticipation of high demand for presales, presale tickets, the app crashed, forcing customers into queues. The film collected $37 million in first-day presales in the US and earned $123 million globally in its opening week, a record among concert films. IMAX Corporation CEO Richard Gelfond told CNBC that the presale figures were comparable to those of a "blockbuster (entertainment), blockbuster tent-pole (entertainment), tentpole feature". The film was released on October 13, 2023, and several films that shared the same release date moved out of it to avoid competing with ''The Eras Tour'', including ''The Exorcist: Believer.'' The film became Concert film#Highest-grossing concert films, the highest-grossing concert film of all time. Various journalists opined that it was released in a crucial time for movie theaters and would boost their earnings after the business was widely affected by 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, the then-ongoing Writers Guild of America and 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, SAG-AFTRA strikes. Michael O'Leary, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, believed the success of ''The Eras Tour'' was a testament to the unrealized potential of concert films in theaters. It was reported that Hollywood executives were irked with Swift's surprise announcement of the film as she had directly and secretly negotiated with AMC to distribute the film in theaters, bypassing major film studios and their streaming services. ''The Daily Telegraph'' Ed Power praised Swift's business sense and decision to release the film to the fury of the studios, writing: "Barbenheimer showed people will go to the cinema if they feel they are participating in a Community of interest, communal experience. Hollywood refused to take advantage of this. So Swift has instead." Inc. (magazine), ''Inc.'' columnist Jason Aten said Swift could be "the world's saviest marketer" as she "seems to have figured out [release strategies] far better than most studio executives". Others opined ''The Eras Tour'''s success could affect the conventional Film producer, producer–Film distributor, distributor–Film exhibitor, exhibitor structure of film releases.


Honors

Municipality, City administrations, companies and other organizations celebrated the Eras Tour with various tributes.


Governments

* Glendale changed its name from March 17 to 18 as it hosted the first shows of the Eras Tour. Mayor Jerry Weiers announced the "symbolic" name, Swift City, on March 13. The Westgate Entertainment District, a Mixed-use development, mixed-use complex in Glendale, put up welcome messages. The Arizona Department of Transportation also displayed a number of Swift-themed messages along freeways. * Las Vegas displayed light shows inspired by the color palettes of the Eras Tour every night through March 25 at the Gateway Arches on Las Vegas Boulevard. * Arlington, Texas renamed Randol Mill Road, a street outside AT&T Stadium, to Taylor Swift Way on March 30. Mayor Jim Ross declared March 31 through April 2 "Taylor Swift Weekend", during which the steel sculptures outside the City Hall were lit red in reference to ''Red''; Swift was also presented with a Freedom of the City#Key to the City, key to the city. * Tampa presented Swift with a key to the city; Mayor Jane Castor invited Swift to be the city's honorary mayor for a day. Tampa City Hall, Tampa Riverwalk, and downtown bridges were lit red. Hillsborough County, Florida, Hillsborough County temporarily changed its name to Swiftsborough. * Houston illuminated Houston City Hall, its city hall lavender as a nod to "Lavender Haze", celebrated "The Eras Tour weekend", and renamed NRG Stadium to NRG Stadium (Taylor's Version) from April 21 to 23, per a proclamation by Harris County, Texas, Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo. * Taylorsville, Georgia declared April 28, 2023 "Taylor Swift Day" and presented Swift with a key to the city following her sold-out shows at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. * Nashville mayor John Cooper (Tennessee politician), John Cooper recognized May 5 to 7 as "Taylor Swift Homecoming Weekend" and placed an "honorary bench" at Centennial Park (Nashville), Centennial Park as a monument dedicated to "Nashville and Swift's long-standing relationship", in reference to lyrics in "Invisible String". * Philadelphia unveiled a mural on South Street (Philadelphia), South Street on May 12. * Massachusetts governor Maura Healey conferred a "Governor's Citation" upon Swift ahead of the Foxborough, Massachusetts, Foxborough shows. * New Jersey governor Phil Murphy declared the "Taylor Swift ham, egg, and cheese" as the state's official sandwich on May 25, referencing the cultural debate about Pork roll, Taylor ham and pork roll. * Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer welcomed Swift to the state for the Detroit shows by posting a video speech on Twitter referencing several of her songs. * Pittsburgh mayor Ed Gainey renamed the city Swiftsburgh for the weekend. In December 2023, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a resolution to recognize 2023 as "the Taylor Swift era" in Pennsylvania, her home state. * Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey temporarily renamed the city Swiftieapolis. Minnesota governor Tim Walz proclaimed June 23 and 24 as "Taylor Swift Days" in the state. * Cincinnati mayor Aftab Pureval proclaimed June 30 as "Taylor Swift Day" in the city. Hamilton County, Ohio, renamed itself Hamilton County (Taylor's Version). Bellevue, Kentucky, renamed Taylor Avenue to Taylor Swift Avenue. * Downtown Kansas City was lit purple in reference to ''Speak Now (Taylor's Version)''. North Kansas City, Missouri, renamed Swift Street to Swift Street (Taylor's Version); Ray County, Missouri, installed a crop art. * Colorado governor Jared Polis wrote Swift a letter containing references to her songs and lyrics ahead of the Denver shows. * The Washington State Department of Natural Resources named Swift an "Honorary Geologist". * Santa Clara renamed itself Swiftie Clara and proclaimed Swift as its honorary mayor from July 28 to 29. * The Hawthorne/Lennox station and Downtown Inglewood stations, the closest Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Los Angeles Metro stations to SoFi Stadium, were renamed to Taylor Nation Station and Speak Now/Taylor's Station, respectively during the six shows. * In Mexico City, Avenida Presidente Masaryk and Foro Sol were renamed to Avenida Taylor's Version and Foro 1989 Taylor's Version, respectively. * The Buenos Aires City Legislature designated Swift a "Guest of Honor". * Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes sanctioned an homage to Swift—the phrase "Welcome to Brasil" and the names of all Federative units of Brazil, 26 Brazilian states on a t-shirt similar to the one she wore in the music video for "You Belong with Me" (2009)—to be projected on the statue of Christ the Redeemer after fans donated 20,000 units of panettone and water bottles as part of a fundraiser to support local charities. * São Paulo illuminated Matarazzo Building, its city hall, Pátio do Colégio, Mário de Andrade Library, Viaduto do Chá, and the ''Monument to the Bandeiras'' sculpture with colors inspired by the Eras Tour. * The United States Department of State, US Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs issued an Eras Tour-themed travel advisory ahead of the first 2024 shows. * The Embassy of Japan, Washington, D.C., Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C. issued an official statement about the Tokyo shows, referencing several of Swift's albums, to address speculation around her travel plans, as the Tokyo shows, the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, and Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas all fall in the same week.


Organizations and companies

* In Atlanta, Georgia's Own Credit Union welcomed Swift with a large "Welcome to A-TAY-L" sign displayed atop its skyscraper building. * The
Arlington Museum of Art The Arlington Museum of Art is a non-collecting art museum located in downtown Arlington, Texas. It hosts art exhibitions and also offers art-related adult workshops, children's classes, film screenings, and lectures. A not-for-profit 501(c)(3) ...
announced an exhibit exploring Swift's "evolving, boundary-pushing" artistry, featuring costumes, photographs, and concert videos from her album eras. Titled ''The Eras Tour Collection'', the exhibit will run from June 2 to September 24, 2023. * Chicago's Willis Tower lit up its antennas in the colors of the Eras Tour. * The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened an exhibit titled ''Through Taylor Swift's Eras'', displaying original outfits from every album era, throughout May 2023. Over 114,000 people bought tickets to the exhibit in May alone—the highest monthly attendance in the museum's 65-year history. * Radio station 96.5 WTDY-FM temporarily renamed itself to "Ninety-Swift-Five T-A-Y". * New York City's Museum of Arts and Design opened the exhibit ''Taylor Swift: Storyteller,'' a "career-spanning look at [Swift's] artistic reinventions", from May 20, 2023, to March 24, 2024. Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises offered a Swift-themed dance cruise on Hudson River ahead of the Eras Tour in East Rutherford. * Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden hosted a "Swiftie Weekend". * In Pittsburgh, the Gateway Clipper Fleet threw Swift-themed parties for passengers. The Carnegie Science Center organized an Eras Tour-themed scavenger hunt of miniature Swift dolls hidden throughout the ''Miniature Railroad and Village'' exhibition on June 16 and 17, and the
Buhl Planetarium The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science Building, also known as the "People's Observatory", is located at 10 Children's Way in the Allegheny Center neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Construction and opening The planetariu ...
hosted a Swift-themed Laser lighting display, laser show. * In Los Angeles, the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live opened a pop-up exhibit from August 2 to September 18, featuring 13 costumes and instruments from Swift's original ''Speak Now'' era and later seen in the "I Can See You (song), I Can See You" music video. * Spotify launched a feature that uses listener's streaming data to list their "top five Taylor Swift eras". Recognizing Swift's singular achievements, the Apple Music Awards honored with a special event called ''Taylor Swift's Eras: The Experience''. * In honor of the completion of the first US leg of the Eras Tour, Starbucks stores across the US played her music all day during the last day of the leg (August 9, 2023). * Air New Zealand added special seats for those attending the tour in Australia, renaming one of the flights "NZ1989" in reference to 1989 (Taylor's Version), the album of the same name. * A Royal Caribbean International cruise trip from Miami to the Bahamas, titled ''In My Era Cruise'', has been scheduled on October 21, a day after the tour's final date in Miami. * A number of media publications bestowed Swift with year-end honorifics. '' Time'' named Swift their 2023
Person of the Year __NOTOC__ Person of the Year or Man of the Year is an award given to an individual by any type of organization. Most often, it is given by a newspaper or other news outlet to annually recognize a public person. Such awards have typically been awa ...
, an annual title given to a person, group, object, or idea that dominated the year culturally. ''Consequence (publication), Consequence'' named her their 2023 Artist of the Year, while ''The New York Times'' and ''The Guardian'' declared 2023 "the year of Taylor Swift". ''Billboard'' placed her atop their list of the greatest pop stars of 2023.


Critical analyses

Publications unanimously described the Eras Tour as a cultural phenomenon. The Recording Academy published, the tour is "the most legendary of [Swift's] generation", emphasizing it is "hard to imagine that any other tour this year will have a cultural impact as big". ''USA Today'' described the tour as a "historically monumental event". ''The Guardian'' said the tour is 2023's "single most significant pop culture phenomenon". Many critics also opined that the tour marked the greatest moment in Swift's career. Many critics considered the "cultural domination" of the Eras Tour a rarity. ''Time'' journalists called it an "unmatched success" and a "in a league of its own". Amanda Petrusich wrote, despite the noted decline of Monoculturalism, monocultural affairs in contemporary popular culture as consumers "no longer consume the same cultural objects at the same time or in the same way", the Eras Tour is an exception, achieving a rare, "mind-boggling inescapability". According to '' Pollstar'', the tour "[did not just enter] the broader discourse but, in so many ways, its gravity is so formidable that the tour and everything that's fallen into its orbit drives the discourse." Shirley McMarlin of ''Pittsburgh Tribune-Review'' wrote, "Taylor Swift is the biggest thing going in the entertainment industry. Turn on the TV or radio, scroll social media, listen to talk on the street, and there she is." Ryan Faughnder of the ''Los Angeles Times'' felt that the Eras Tour turned into a "the ultimate Fear of missing out, FOMO-inducing event". In the opinion of Vogue (magazine), ''Vogue'' Megan Angelo, the Eras Tour "cemented Woodstock-level status in American musical history" and the "last bastion of monoculture". As per ''Billboard'', "it would be no exaggeration to call the Eras Tour the single most anticipated live trek of the century." Mikael Wood and August Brown of the ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote, the tour remained "atop the cultural conversation virtually nonstop" since it started. According to Bill Werde, professor of music and entertainment industries in Syracuse University, "the last artist who could effortlessly sell out stadiums and was simultaneously on top of their game in terms of the zeitgeist of popular music—the name that comes to my mind is Michael Jackson. This is really like the ''Thriller (album), Thriller'' era." ''The New York Times'' author Ben Sisario opined, the tour showed that Swift has a "white-hot demand and media saturation" unseen since Jackson and Madonna in the 1980s, and that she stood above artists that toured concurrently, such as Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, and Drake (musician), Drake, in terms of success and "media noise". ''Variety'' critic Chris Willman said the Eras Tour is like a "career-capping The Beatles, Beatles tour that never happened", surpassing all the tours of the past in terms of business and cultural significance. Journalists credited the Eras Tour with popularizing and legitimizing the notion and concept of "eras" in terms of a music career. ''The A.V. Club'' opined that the concept is one of Swift's signatures. ''The Guardian'' journalist Dave Simpson wrote that the 44-song set list of the Eras Tour might increase the demand for "longer" concerts and may "trigger a set list arms race as artists battle to play longer than each other." He opined that the It's All a Blur Tour, an upcoming co-headlining tour by Drake (musician), Drake and 21 Savage, was inspired by the concept of the Eras Tour, with the former's promotional poster depicting a "career retrospective" similar to the latter. ''Rolling Stone'' further noted the influence of Swift's tour on the Jonas Brothers' 2023–2024 tour, the Five Albums. One Night. The World Tour, on which they performed songs from "five albums every night".


Feminist perspectives

A number of culture critics examined the tour's impact in a feminist lens. Tyler Foggatt wrote, the Eras Tour transformed "a football stadium, typically a center of male aggression, into a sanctum of gleeful femininity." She compared it to the 2017 Women's March, though mentioned there were sequins instead of pussyhats, and the tour included "probably the same number of male allies." In ''The New York Times'', American author Michelle Goldberg compared the cultural impact of the Eras Tour to that of ''Barbie (film), Barbie'' (2023), a fantasy comedy film, and dubbed them both 2023 summer's biggest entertainment phenomena celebrating mainstream femininity but also "beneath their slick, exuberant pop surfaces, tell female coming-of-age stories marked by Existential crisis, existential crises and bitter confrontations with sexism." Goldberg opined that the "gargantuan" success of both the works prove there "is a huge, underserved market for entertainment that takes the feelings of girls and women seriously." Talia Lakritz of ''Business Insider, Insider'' said both the Eras Tour and ''Barbie'' are inspiring a movement among women "to reclaim girlhood without rescinding power." Lakritz added that being at an Eras Tour concert and a movie theater playing ''Barbie'' gave her the same feeling—"the collective joy of femininity". Sisario considered both works as critiques of patriarchy that showed women's control over pop culture. In a similar view, Willman said that the two works of entertainment use patriarchy as a subject of irony "while being utterly friendly to and welcoming of men as much as anybody" and became billion-dollar-earning phenomena. Jess Cartner-Morley of ''The Guardian'' opined that the Eras Tour and ''Barbie'' are "at heart, about celebrating and questioning what it means to be a girl." Taffy Brodesser-Akner of ''The New York Times'' wrote that the tour and its wider phenomenon can be seen as Swift "free[ing] women to celebrate their girlhood, to understand that their womanhood is made up of... microchapters of change... the acknowledgment of girls as people to memorialize, of who we are and who we were, all existing in the same body, on the same timeline." Many journalists considered the Eras Tour, ''Barbie'' and Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour as triumphant works of women's creativity. Larry Vincent, marketing professor from the USC Marshall School of Business, said the Eras Tour and ''Barbie'' were two summer phenomena that showed a "really strong ritual dimension of [women-driven] consumer behavior". According to author Katherine Wintsch, "It's a sense of solidarity that women are willing to pay good money for." Mary Siroky of ''Consequence'' opined that the tour proves "centering women in entertainment isn't just smart, it's necessary."


Year-end retrospectives

In placing Swift as the first and only entertainer ever in the top five of their annual "Forbes list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women, World's Most Powerful Women" in 2023, ''Forbes'' claimed that "17 years into her remarkable career, Swift has never had more economic, cultural and political clout." Swift also topped ''People'' "25 Most Intriguing People of the Year" (2023) list; journalist Jeff Nelson opined that Swift, as a 33-year-old female popstar, "has taken a hammer to that glass ceiling, shattering expectations—and blazing a path for the next generation of female artists." The Eras Tour also lead CNN to name Swift "The businessperson of the year"; Natasha Aaron of '' The Washington Post'' listed Swift as one of 2023's trailblazers, for having "shifted the economic plate tectonics of the entertainment industry." Many publications considered the Eras Tour the highlight of 2023 and named Swift's 2023 as one of the best years for a career. ''The Hollywood Reporter'' opined "Arguably, Taylor Swift had one of the best years for a person working in the entertainment industry ever." ''Billboard'' published, "Swift's 2023 will now be the year that all future pop stars will be measured against." ''The A.V. Club'' opined "Swift was pop culture's undisputed champion of 2023, and no one has ever had a year like hers". Writing for ''MSNBC'', Michael A. Cohen also remarked that "When the history books are written, 2023 will be remembered as the year of Swift." Ethan Millman of ''Rolling Stone'' said "by any metric, Swift's 2023 was one of the most impressive years of all time for a singular pop star." ''Business insider'' opined "Swift was easily the most dominant Cultural icon, cultural force of 2023, and the Eras Tour was the defining Popular culture, pop culture event of 2023." ''Consequence'' credited the Eras Tour with helping Swift dominate the popular culture of 2023 in a distinct way than she has in the preceding years. '' The Independent'' and ''Hindustan Times'' deemed the year "2023 Taylor Swift masters dispute, (Taylor's Version)".


References

{{Taylor Swift Taylor Swift 2023 in music 2024 in music Cultural impact, Eras Tour Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic The Eras Tour