ALEX GILLIES
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
EMMA FIGLEWICZ
PHOTO EDITOR
9/11/2023
The Eras Tour has engraved Swift into the American Entertainment Industry. The tour has changed how many people view the concert experience.
The first leg of the U.S. Eras Tour ended on Aug. 9 in Inglewood, California. More than two million fans attended the tour that saw Taylor Swift traveling to 17 states across the U.S. Though the tour has only just wrapped up its first leg, the effect the tour has had on tourism, the economy, the environment and the music industry is set to make history.
The tour began its run in Arizona on Mar. 17. The show runs for about three hours, where fans can witness Swift sing forty-four songs from her vast discography that spans almost two decades. Each of Swift’s eras gets a special portion of her show where she has elaborate stage designs and costume changes throughout the night.
Many fans who attended the tour have been spending hundreds to thousands of dollars to see Swift and purchase merchandise at the show. “I spent around 400 dollars for tickets and merchandise. However, the experience of seeing Taylor is a core memory that I could never put a price tag on,” said Bryce Birchmeier (’26).
One of the primary reasons for Taylor receiving such a large audience is that Swift last went on tour almost six years ago. Since her last tour, Swift has released four albums: Lover, Folklore, Evermore and Midnights.
Additionally, Swift is recording her first six albums to regain the rights to her music that was sold away by Big Machine Records in 2018. These new recordings have received a large amount of attention worldwide, with some songs gaining more streams than the original recordings.
The tour is estimated to accumulate over two billion dollars over two years. Swift will hold the record for the highest-grossing tour ever if this prediction comes true.
With an average attendance of 54,000 fans coming to see Swift perform nationwide, each city receives a huge boost in tourism and consumer spending at bars and restaurants. Many businesses even have been tailoring their goods to cater towards Talor Swift fans by displaying Swift’s face or name on their store front or on their food.
“There’s been a lot of evidence of local economies benefiting from Taylor Swift concerts,” said Matt Hinkel, Assistant Professor of Economics. “Events like the Eras tour can help local economies recover from the negative effects of the pandemic by bringing tens of thousands of tourists to the area that can spend their money on all sorts of things.”
“I think the Eras tour has uplifted the entertainment industry. Taylor Swift has always been a well-known artist, but I think this tour was so popular that it revolutionized the way we view pop music and pop culture,” said Taylor Pepitone (’23).
The presence of the Eras Tour has taken over all social media platforms. However, some people feel that the tour has been overshadowing other artists and their opportunity to receive recognition for their tours.
“Taylor is extremely talented; however, I believe the Era’s Tour has overshadowed many other talented artists. With the amount of internet attention this tour has gotten, many other tours have been forgotten or have not received the recognition some artists deserve,” said Grace Ludema (’26).
The Eras Tour has engraved Swift into the American Entertainment Industry. The tour has changed how many people view the concert experience.
