Taylor Swift, one of the most influential pop stars of the last 10 years, has made her mark on U.S. cities this year. Her Eras world tour consists of 146 shows and hits 5 different continents. By the end of this tour, Taylor Swift will have had a major, long-lasting impact on the economy. Not only that, but the tour has and will continue to have a large impact her fan base, commonly known as “Swifties.”
But how does one artist affect an entire city’s economy? Short answer: people clamor for tickets to her concerts, which not only boosts her persona, but also brings tons of Swifties to cities where they spend freely. Long answer: her presence in so many places boosts commercial pursuits, causing the economy to grow rapidly due to all of the money and tourism Swift is bringing in. In the U.S alone, it is estimated that her tour will bring in $4.6 billion. This is monumental considering that no other tour has ever reached the billion dollar mark. The only tour to ever come close was Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour in 2018. That made approximately 853 million dollars in total.
It has been noted that the city that has made the most profit from the Eras tour so far, has been Philadelphia. Back in May, when Taylor Swift performed three sold out shows in Philadelphia, the Federal Reserve reported that her presence enhanced tourism and increased hotel occupancy significantly. On top of that, Taylor Swift is providing bonuses for everyone working for her, which adds up to $5 million. In addition to these bonuses, every show provided thousands of jobs per city. For example, it has been estimated 500-800 temporary jobs are created per concert.
Taylor Swift’s last tour prior to this one was in 2018. Swift was planning another tour in 2020, however, it shut down due to Covid. Since 2018 she has released three new albums. Swift has been performing these new albums during her tour for the first time. What makes this tour such a big deal among her fan base is that it includes all of her “eras,” hence the name. This means that it recaps all of her special moments and songs throughout her career thus far. A lot of her fan base is made up of people who have grown up listening to her music and she has been a role model for many young listeners over the years. Swift is notorious for being an incredible performer. She has as many as 16 outfit changes per show that reflects her journey throughout the past 10 years and graphics and lighting to match. At ever concert, she interacts with the crowd in a way that makes the show feel animated and lively.
Everyone attending the concert wears a wristband that lights up with LEDs, building a sense of unity and creating a beautiful view. It’s almost as if Swift wants everyone to be seen, from the very front row to the nosebleeds. Every little light shines as the fans sing in joyful harmony, creating an ambiance that is unmatched. With the Eras tour, Swift is not only creating special experiences and memories for her fans, but is also generating valuable revenue for her tour cities.
