Concert culture was once centered on the music and the surreal experience of hearing your favorite song live. However, concerts today are dominated by phones, with many attendees more concerned about filming every moment than paying attention.
As ticket prices continue to rise and shows become less accessible to everyday people, concerts begin to feel less engaging as they once did. Social media has shifted the purpose of concerts to content instead of experience. As a result, many audiences now question if concerts are even worth attending.
As smartphones became a constant presence in everyday life, they became common throughout concert venues, from the seats, to the floor to the barricade. What began as taking a quick photo of the stage turned into hour-long chaotic recordings, fans holding their phones above their heads for entire sets, often blocking the view for the person behind them without a second thought. Because of this, simply being present started to feel almost countercultural.
Many artists have also spoken out about these issues as well. Billie Eilish, Alicia Keys and Jack White have all publicly pushed back against phone use at their shows, with some venues moving toward phone-locking policies, using pouches that fans unlock on their way out. The message is clear: spirit has been lost and people are starting to feel it.
FHS junior Sahana Gautam frequently attends concerts featuring her favorite artists. Like most, Gautam was disappointed in the lack of energy and spirit brought to concerts today.
“I think concert culture is not the best,” Gautam said. “A lot of artists I’ve been to recently had dead crowds. Either people didn’t know the artist… or didn’t even try to have fun.”
Rising ticket prices have only intensified the situation. The average concert ticket price has more than doubled over the past decade, with some major tours pushing floor seats into the hundreds and VIP packages running into the thousands. Dynamic pricing, where ticket costs increase dramatically based on demand, has drawn widespread criticism. When Bruce Springsteen concerts surpassed $1,000 through Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing model in 2023, the backlash was immediate and loud.
Concerts have gone from being a community gathering for people who enjoy music to status symbols for those who can afford to attend one. A single night out costs almost as much as the average monthly rent payment.
A deeper cultural pressure has also reshaped the concert experience. Social media has quietly rewritten what a concert is supposed to be. Platforms like Tiktok and Instagram applaud the clip, the close-up, the caught-on-camera moment. Going to a show and not posting about it can feel almost pointless to some, as if it did not really happen. As a result, concerts can begin to feel less like opportunities to enjoy live music and more like opportunities to create content. This shift has changed the atmosphere at many shows as the crowd feels more distracted, more performance-aware and less connected to what is actually happening on stage.
“Everyone has their phones and it is all about just recording things,” FHS freshman Evangelina John said. “I went to this one Faye Webster concert and they had a rule, you’re not allowed to record. It really helped you enjoy being in the present. I think concerts are about living in the moment and the fact it is live music.”
