Why are so many music festivals getting canceled in the U.S.?

Several music festivals across the United States have taken a hit on what should have been an eclectic summer festival season.

CNN has pointed out that some of the renowned music festivals that won't be making an appearance this year include the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, Atlanta's Music Midtown, and Kickoff Jam in Florida. Jay-Z's Made in America festival and Delaware's Firefly Music Festival haven't made a comeback in 3 years.

Per the outlet, this year, over 40 music festivals alone have been axed. The Tribune has pointed out that even powerhouses like Coachella have been slowing down, with this year's tickets being on the market for months, whereas in the past, they would sell out within hours.

Per the outlet, experts cite the growing trend of fans flocking to big-name concerts instead of multi-day festivals.

"Roll forward to 2024, you go all in to see Taylor Swift, and you don’t bother with the festival. We’re seeing an element of displacement, of cannibalization, of the stadium acts eating the festivals’ lunch,” Will Page, former Spotify chief economist, said.

"They’re choosing Taylor Swift or Beyoncé over a lineup of maybes."

What's going on with music festivals in the US? Experts weigh in:

According to CNN, other contributing factors likely include inflation and dwindling budgets, though the Tribune has pointed out that extreme weather is also a causal factor.

“They’ve lost the magic,” said Tiffany Naiman, director of Music Industry Programs at UCLA, according to the outlet.

Some acts, such as The All-American Rejects, are revolutionizing the industry. Instead of going the traditional route and sticking to performances, the band has been hosting house parties at local venues, bowling alleys, and universities to try and gain traction and connect with fans more intimately.

Experts, however, believe that music festivals need to adapt or risk being axed altogether. It's the smaller festivals in particular that are taking the most hits.

"Live music isn’t dying,” added Naiman. “But the festival format needs a reset.”

However, it remains unclear just how long the worst-case scenario would go into effect, given that the popularity of music festivals has ballooned since the '90s and 2010s, CNN has pointed out. Naiman has also pointed out that people are still keen on witnessing live music, despite all the hurdles that come with it nowadays.

But the larger festivals have yet to do something unique, with several artists repeatedly delivering the same performance set year after year:

“The larger ones are plateauing because they haven’t changed for the better,” Naiman said. “I don’t think that Coachella is doing anything unique or radical anymore.”

According to Naiman, the only way to turn things around is to revolutionize the very idea of a music festival:

“Though we like being in our echo chamber, I think there’s a hunger for new things,” she said. “I think it’s really about framing it, and how festivals frame this idea of discovery and experience versus seeing whoever again.”

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