In 2023, the music world experienced a wild mix of highs and lows. Taylor Swift's record-breaking "Eras Tour" was a major success, breaking streaming and attendance records, and boosting the economy, public transportation, and movie theater industry. She also released two re-recorded albums and began a new romance with Travis Kelce.
Beyoncé's return to mega-tours was significant, with her record-breaking "Renaissance" world tour in May, alongside other artists like Swift, Harry Styles, Drake, Bad Bunny, The Weeknd, and Pink. Live Nation, the world's largest live entertainment company, sold nearly 90 million tickets for concerts, a 20% increase from 2022. This marked a shift in the live music space as the world adjusted to a post-pandemic landscape.
However, unruly concertgoers caused some incidents, with artists like Bebe Rexha, Kelsea Ballerini, Ava Max, and Drake becoming targets of objects thrown on stage during live shows. Some artists suffered injuries, while others were praised for their performances. Adele issued a profanity-laced order urging people to stop throwing things at the artist during her Las Vegas concert in July.
In conclusion, 2023 was a wild year for music, with highs and lows that showcased the power of music. Taylor Swift's record-breaking "Eras Tour" and the return of mega-tours by artists like Bebe Rexha, Kelsea Ballerini, Ava Max, and Drake were notable achievements. However, the rise of unruly concertgoers and the ongoing struggle for musical identity further highlighted the challenges faced by the music industry.
Dolly Parton, a revered country music singer, released her album "Rockstar" in November, marking her rock genre debut. The 30-track collection features rock icons Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, and Stevie Nicks, among others. It hit No. 1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart in November.
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr released "Now and Then," a new track featuring all "fab four" members of The Beatles, written and recorded by the late John Lennon in the '70s. The song features Lennon's original vocals preserved using AI restoration techniques that Peter Jackson used in his "The Beatles: Get Back" documentary. With new instrumentation by McCartney and Starr, and guitar recordings by the late George Harrison from the '90s, "Now and Then" was finally completed this year.
Rihanna performed her first live performance in seven years at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show in February, which became the most-watched Halftime Show in history. She also unveiled her second pregnancy while on stage, sending the internet into a frenzy. Rihanna is now mom to two sons, whom she shares with rapper A$AP Rocky.
Britney Spears released her memoir "The Woman in Me," detailing her experience being placed under a court-ordered conservatorship for 13 years before it ended in 2021. The book sold over one million copies in its first week.
Jann Wenner, co-founder of Rolling Stone magazine, was expelled from the board of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation after facing widespread criticism for remarks made in a September interview with the New York Times. This fallout felt like a moment of reckoning for the co-founder and longtime publisher/editor of Rolling Stone magazine, as well as for a whole era of pop culture and how the history of that era is presented.
Health setbacks for Bruce Springsteen, Lewis Capaldi, Madonna, and Celine Dion have led to their respective breaks from performing live this year. Dion shared in May that the remaining dates of her "Courage World Tour" were canceled as she continues to fight Stiff-Person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder she was diagnosed with last year.
Prize Bond 2020
0 Comments