What Is Swiftonomics?
Swiftonomics refers to the economic influence of musician Taylor Swift. In 2023, Swift embarked on her Eras Tour, a global series of shows that has become the highest-grossing tour on record, with a gross of more than $1 billion so far.
The Eras Tour has been credited with boosting local economies across the U.S. Swift fans have flocked to the cities that host concerts to spend money on lodging, food, transportation, and merchandise. The pop superstar and her international tour also affected the global economy.
Key Takeaways
- Swiftonomics refers to the economic influence of Taylor Swift and her impact on various sectors.
- Swift’s performances as part of her Eras Tour have had a positive effect on local economies.
- The power of Swiftonomics lies in Taylor Swift’s unique influence and business choices.
- Swiftonomics also has implications on the global economy, and relates to international trade and globalization.
Taylor Swift’s Impact on the U.S. Economy
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour came on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic during which personal savings of U.S. households hit a record high and the tourism industry suffered significantly. Fans hoping to snag a spot at an Eras Tour concert rushed to Ticketmaster, which crashed in late 2022 amid the high demand and received widespread criticism from customers and politicians for its monopolistic practices.
While Swift fans aren't representative of the entire U.S. population, they've been credited with exemplifying that consumers were willing to spend their pandemic savings on tourism and entertainment despite fears of a potential recession.
Eras Tour attendees—averaging around 54,000 fans per concert during the first leg of the U.S. tour—traveled to cities hosting Swift's concerts and spent their money on hotels, transportation, food, merchandise and more, helping to revive local tourism. One study showed that the average spend for an Eras Tour attendee is $1,327.74.
After the singer-songwriter held three concerts in Chicago in June 2023, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and leading tourism leaders announced that Illinois had broken its hotel revenue record thanks in part to Swift's visit.
Ahead of Swift's six concerts in Los Angeles, the California Center for Jobs & the Economy estimated the tour would result in a $320 million increase to the Los Angeles County GDP. The Center also expected the tour would increase area employment in the California city by 3,300, and local earnings by $160 million.
Estimates ahead of Swift's concerts in Denver, Colorado, and Cincinnati, Ohio, showed that the Eras Tour was expected to contribute $140 million to Colorado’s GDP and bring in $92 million in local spending in Cincinnati. The Kansas City region received an estimated $48 million from Swift's Missouri stop.
The Federal Reserve even mentioned Swift in its June 2023 Beige Book, its regular analysis of recent economic conditions, stating that "May was the strongest month for hotel revenue in Philadelphia since the onset of the pandemic, in large part due to an influx of guests for the Taylor Swift concerts in the city." The economic impact of a concert on a host city is close to what that city would see from hosting a Super Bowl.
Overall, one analysis estimated the Eras Tour could generate $5 billion for the U.S. economy. At the same time, the U.S. Travel Association said that figure may be closer to $10 billion when factoring in the indirect spending of consumers who may not have actually attended the concerts but joined in on spending around the events.
Swiftonomics and the Global Economy
The economic impact of Swift's Eras Tour isn't limited to the U.S.; it has also made similar boosts to local economies abroad.
Swift's visit to Tokyo was expected to pull $228 million into the Japanese economy, with $162.7 million going directly to the city that hosted the musician. Her visit to Mexico City, meanwhile, was expected to generate more than $59 million, and hotels in Edinburgh, Liverpool, and Cardiff were sold out in August 2023 for the 2024 U.K. leg of the tour.
A visit from Taylor Swift doesn't only impact a host city. Despite there being no Eras Tour concerts planned for New Zealand, for instance, Air New Zealand announced it was adding more than 2,000 seats, including new flights to cater to what it called the "Swift surge" in demand after Swift announced she was headed to Australia.
Hosting the Eras Tour has become so lucrative for local economies that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked Swift via X (formerly known as Twitter) to add tour stops in Canada, which she did.
What is Taylor Swift's Net Worth?
Taylor Swift's net worth is $1.1 billion as of October 2023, according to an analysis by Bloomberg.
What Is Pensionomics?
Pensionomics refers to the economic ripple effect that takes place in national, state, and local economies when retirees spend their pension benefits on goods and services.
How Much Did the Eras Tour Gross?
The Eras Tour grossed over $1 billion during its first eight months, making it the first ever tour to pass the $1 billion threshold, according to a 2023 year-end analysis published by Pollstar. The tour is still underway and expected to conclude in December 2024.
What Is Funflation?
Funflation refers to the trend that consumers are willing to spend money on fun experiences like concerts despite high inflation.
What Other Pop Music Artists Influence the Economy?
Swift isn't the only artist to attract many fans—who spend money on tickets, hotels, transportation and more—to cities in 2023. According to Pollstar, Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour” grossed $580 million, beating Bad Bunny’s record-setting $393 million gross in 2022. Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band, Coldplay, and Harry Styles were also on the list of the highest-grossing tours in 2023.
The Bottom Line
The economic influence of superstar Taylor Swift has become known as Swiftonomics. The musician's Eras Tour, which began in 2023 and continues throughout 2024, has been extremely benefiticial for local economies, as well as the U.S. economy as a whole. The power of Swiftonomicscontinues to prove itself as Swift's tour continues its international leg, boosting local economies around the world.
