When was the last time you waited 20 minutes to buy a movie ticket?If you’re a fan of Taylor Swift, it would be today, when the crazy race began to attend her new film concert of the Eras tour.
Let us be frank. It’s time for 2023 to be what it is: the year Taylor Swift conquered the world.
After conquering the live music industry, the 33-year-old pop star is now reinforcing the faltering fortunes of the film sector, which has yet to recover from the coronavirus double and streaming habits.
Swift’s announcement Thursday on social media that “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” will hit the big screen on Oct. 13 has enthusiasts rushing to buy tickets for $19. 89 on AMC Theatres’ website, resulting in wait times reminiscent of those of Ticketmaster.
“The only place where the global excitement of Taylor Swift’s live concerts can be reflected is in a state-of-the-art immersive projection and sound theater, alongside a raucous crowd of passionate fans,” said Michael O’Leary, President and CEO. of the National Association of Theatre Owners.
He praised Swift for showing “the true perspective of what a concert film can do in movie theaters. It’s a wonderful opportunity for enthusiasts to revel in a massive cultural phenomenon in a very accessible way. “
Searches for AMC, which will distribute the recorded concert film, increased more than 1,000% globally. AMC shares also enjoyed a rally following the news of the movie Eras.
For Swift, a concert film can be seen as another way to profit from a hugely successful tour. But, as many of its enthusiasts would point out, this resolution also has an altruistic component that goes beyond mere money generation.
“The Eras Tour has been the most meaningful and electric experience of my life so far and I’m thrilled to announce that it will soon be streaming on the big screen,” Swift wrote in an Instagram post. “Starting October 13, it will be I will be able to see the concert film in theaters across North America!Tickets are already on sale in amctheatres. com. It is recommended to wear period costumes, friendship bracelets, compose a song and dance. “
A post shared via Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)
Naturally, the Swifties sing. ” Taylor will dominate music charts, streaming platforms, stadiums and now theaters in 2023. . . I don’t know a year more than this,” @samfromthevault wrote on X (formerly Twitter), adding a photo. of Swift raising a glass of wine.
The upcoming concert film, a boon for those who couldn’t get tickets in the four figures and up, has already fostered a meme reminiscent of the “Barbenheimer” mix when “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” opened on the same day. this summer.
The new meme?” #Exorswift,” a nod to the same-day premiere of the sequel to the old horror film, “The Exorcist: Believer. “But on Thursday night, it turns out that Swift scared Satan from “Believer. “” went on to a release on October 6.
Look what you made me do. The Exorcist: Believer Coming 6/10/23#TaylorWins
Swift, whose Eras tour is expected to generate more than $5 billion in customer spending, rarely urges enthusiasts to open their wallets. By breaking through the country, the dynamo of a single woman has also managed to lift the spirits of those suffering from the pandemic. and generate mass rallies with tactics unthinkable a few years ago.
The explosion of Taylormania is nothing short of extraordinary. Although it had millions of enthusiasts before the pandemic, this base has grown significantly. New and younger enthusiasts who are just getting to know the singer are joined by older music lovers, encouraged by a wide diversity. of music critics who, if they have already passed the party, now recognize Swift as a valid composer.
“She’s enjoying her own elegance right now,” says Jason Lipshutz, Billboard’s executive director of music. “There are other artists who dominate other sectors of the industry: some are massive in streaming, others are big draws on tour. But we’re in that moment where there’s no one bigger than Taylor Swift, whether it’s on the radio, with streaming, with ticket sales or just with the cultural impact.
So much so that Swift’s music is the subject of college meetings around the world. Swift’s courses ranging from literature to social psychology have made an impression at schools such as Ghent University in Belgium, the University of Texas at Austin, New York University, and Stanford.
Lipshutz says Swift’s growing popularity is due to two areas: the quality of her writing and the acumen of her decision-making. The latter includes the choice a few years ago to re-record six of his albums after a dispute with former manager Scooter. Braun. ” The first three re-recorded albums worked so well that what the other three do almost doesn’t matter,” he says.
Swift’s genius lies only in her musical talent, but also in her ability to generate an almost frenzied feeling among her fans, says Brian Donovan, a sociology professor at the University of Kansas who teaches a course this fall called “The Sociology of Taylor. “Swift. ” and wrote an e-book about the Swifties.
In his research, Donovan interviewed avid enthusiasts who feel compelled to gather evidence of their fondness for Swift, adding those who buy vinyl releases without having a record player or buy travel t-shirts they aren’t interested in. “Swift knows how to take advantage of the “And the other people I’ve talked to have this mindset: they feel compelled to gather each and every item that she produces. He’s a musical genius, but also a marketing genius. “
Swift began her excursion in March 2023 in Glendale, Arizona, winding across the country through 20 cities in 27 states. The tour broke records, adding the maximum number of tickets sold in one day through an artist, 2. 4 million. Not to mention ancillary salesgenerated through your barn excursion, such as sold-out hotels and crowded restaurants.
The enthusiasm is palpable among the enthusiasts. Part of Swift’s feel is the clever vibes she generated by bonding with enthusiasts at her exhibits. Perhaps nowhere was it more dazzling than one of his last six-time exhibitions in Los Angeles, where his famous visitors included Channing Tatum and Selena Gomez. .
At the first of six concerts at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium, Swift handed her hat to Bianka Bryant, the daughter of basketball star Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. This touching moment quickly circulated on social media as a video circulated of Swift hugging the 6-year-old and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
To be sure, Swift is not alone in helping the country overcome a series of blockades that have tested our collective morale and cast doubt on the return of mass gatherings.
Artists like Beyoncé and Bruce Springsteen have done their best to bring back pre-pandemic taste love festivals. His concert tours are not yet wild components for tens of thousands of like-minded souls.
“Barbie” also helped, filling movie theaters but also creating a festive atmosphere at screenings, and many arrived in pink Barbie outfits, just as Beyoncé asked her enthusiasts to come dressed in silver.
Don’t underestimate the restorative force of such meetings, experts say.
“For some people, it’s a life-changing experience,” says Elizabeth Cline, a professor of fashion, customer policy and sustainability at Columbia University in New York. “It’s easy to be critical about it. But if you think more about the cultural aspect, I mean, I think it’s pretty beautiful. “
Those who experience the magic of a Taylor Swift concert, whether in a movie theater or now, are developing exponentially as Swift’s career enters its second decade.
Donovan notes that Swift’s fan base has expanded with 2020’s “Folklore” and “Evermore,” adding new fans to the herd she is sure to bring to theaters during the typhoon next month.
“More Gen X men were drawn to (those albums), and I think that’s a testament to their intergenerational appeal,” Donovan said. “The Swifties I interviewed talked about how they grew up with Taylor and now have their own kids who go on the Eras tour. And those little kids also show enthusiasm for her in the same way they did when they were kids.
“It’s extraordinary. “
Collaborators: Kayla Jiménez, Nicole Fallert and David Oliver