Artists Are Canceling Arena Tours Right and Left. Maybe They Shouldn’t Have Been Playing Arenas in the First Place | GQ

The Nugget

Artists are facing challenges with selling out big arena tours, indicating a changing landscape in the music industry where intimate settings may be more successful than large venues.

Make it stick

🎤 Quality over quantity: Choosing intimate venues may lead to a more fulfilling experience for both the artist and fans.
🎟️ Touring strategy: Building a loyal fanbase and focusing on live performances can be more sustainable than solely relying on online streaming numbers.

Artists are struggling to sell out big arena tours while smaller, intimate venues may offer a more rewarding experience for both artists and fans.
The preference for arenas may stem from ego, traditional norms, or industry pressures, but the evolving market is showing a shift towards intimate settings.

The touring business is facing difficulties, with artists facing low ticket sales and canceled shows in big venues.
Streaming success does not always translate to ticket sales, highlighting the importance of strong live performances and building a dedicated fan base.

Corporate mega-promoters like LiveNation, along with agents and managers, may contribute to the trend of booking artists into large venues for maximum profit.
Artists may need to reconsider their touring strategies, focusing on quality venues and building long-term relationships with fans.

"Why would a band without a major hit in years think it can sell out arenas in tertiary markets?"
"Every week, another artist goes viral on Twitter for low ticket sales, with a screengrab of a Ticketmaster seat map awash in blue."
"Big streaming numbers look great online but don’t necessarily translate to ticket sales."
"A touring business has to be built, returning to the same cities every year."
"Being great live will get people through the door and keep them coming back."

This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.