Beyond the Music – The Modern Concert as an Artist’s Brand

Live performance has always been the heart of music. There is no better feeling for fans than to watch a sonic or lyrical genius work their magic in real time. Some of the most iconic concerts are simple, like Nirvana’s candlelit appearance on MTV Unplugged. Many listeners appreciate their favourite musicians just sitting on stage with their instruments, letting the music speak for itself. But other musicians, in fact, many of those working today, have made their concerts into a spectacle and an integral part of their brand. For these musicians, it isn’t enough to perform. They must transport their audiences into another world, and these concert worlds have become as important to their careers as the music itself.

Taylor Swift and the Eras Tour

Perhaps the best example of this phenomenon is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. With three-hour shows that were dedicated to showcasing the near-entirety of Swift’s almost two-decade-long career, the Eras Tour immediately became the core of Swift’s brand. The show involves multiple set and costume changes that correspond to the aesthetics of Swift’s albums; from the lilac hues of “Speak Now” to the rebellious crimson of “Reputation” to the whimsical woodlands of “Folklore,” Swifties are invited into the various worlds of Swift’s career. Generating over $2 billion in revenue, the Eras Tour was at the forefront of Swift’s brand as an artist and became one of her biggest selling points. 

Beyoncé’s Performance Perfection

Beyoncé has also turned her live performances into a key facet of her brand as a musician. Another artist garnering hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from her tours, Beyoncé takes her performances seriously and carefully crafts her concerts to capture the heart and soul of her albums. From the Afrofuturist extravaganza of the Renaissance tour to the wild west adventure of the Cowboy Carter tour, Beyoncé’s concerts are renowned for their perfectionism: advanced choreography with dancers that hit every beat, multiple brand-name costume changes, and a voice that never falters or cracks. Her concerts are physical manifestations of the culture she nurtures and creates, and they are an absolute staple of her artistic brand. 

Madonna’s Cultural Controversy

Long before pop stars turned concerts into cinematic experiences, there was Madonna. From the Blond Ambition Tour to the Confessions Tour, Madonna has pioneered the concept of thematic live performances. Her blending of choreography, costume, controversy, and narrative into one show made her performances iconic and integral to her artistry. Like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, her concerts weren’t just about the biggest hits; they were cultural milestones. With her combination of religious iconography, political statements, and sexual liberation, Madonna’s tours made headlines as often as they made money.

Travis Scott’s Astroworld

Finally, another key figure in the concert-artist brand phenomenon is Travis Scott. His Astroworld Tour was the epitome of immersing fans into a musical world — hence the name. Scott went all-in with neon visuals, dystopian set design, and a reckless, physical stage presence that crowds fed off of. However, Scott’s performances revealed the dangerous side of fans being totally transported in concert. In 2021, ten people died at Scott’s Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas, as a result of a crowd crush. The chaotic, intense atmosphere of Scott’s Astroworld became too real and serves as a warning for future artists that maintaining their concert-brand connection cannot be more important than the concert-goer-artist connection.

Reflecting on the Modern Concert

Even after hundreds of years of live music, the concert remains sacred. It’s a space where a musician’s vision becomes tangible, emotional, and unforgettable, and it becomes a core part of their brand. For Taylor Swift, it’s storytelling. For Beyoncé, it’s perfection. For Madonna, it’s controversy. For Travis Scott, it’s complete immersion. Each of them has turned the concert into more than a performance; they’ve made it the core of their artistry. Because in today’s music world, the show isn’t just part of the brand — the show is the brand.