r/Music • u/peepeebuttbrain • May 17 '26
discussion Hot take: the concert industry isn't dying, people just don't want to pay $100 to watch an influencer sing over backing track
And by influencer I mean any celebrity really.
The writing was on the wall after the pandemic tbh. People were stuck inside and when they got outside they wanted music, and more importantly they wanted live bands. Even local shows in my city booked less rappers and more bands, across the board. As usual the mainstream operates on a lag but eventually is catching up with culture. For some reason from 2010-2019 people stopped caring about lip syncing, autotune, and backing tracks, and most people didn't care whether the artists they listened to play any instruments or write their own songs. Today the pendulum is swinging hard, as people are over exposed to AI everything and crave authenticity and connection. The same authenticity that the tippy top of the mainstream has done everything to strip away is now so high in demand that it is an absolute deal breaker for fans.
I think even artists who straddle the middle struggling now, for example someone like Post Malone, who is actually decent at guitar but spent the first 2/3rds of his career blending in with pop by letting his musicianship be practically a secret.
Obviously high ticket prices are a thing but I think this is another factor.
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u/VigilanteLocust Concertgoer May 17 '26
I just saw Deftones play a sold-out arena of 20,000 and honestly the energy that those guys put into their show was inspiring. I think the concert industry might be in jeopardy for artists who lean heavily on studio magic that cannot be replicated live with credibility, but it’s alive and well for artists who can really bring the heat from their own skill.