Those who wish to relive a time when pop anthems were recorded on CDs and MTVs Active total request it was must-see television and they are living their own teenage dreams.
Several so-called “nostalgia tours” are underway, bringing together chart-toppers from the ’90s and early ’00s whose music defined the soundtrack of a generation. The formula is advantageous for fans who can experience a virtual mixtape of their favorite artists in one place.
rap icon Missy Elliot recently announced their first headlining tour, Out of This World: The Missy Elliot Experience. Although Elliot is the main attraction, she’s not alone in the spotlight. The 24-date season will tour North America this summer and feature Ciara Busta rhymes and Timbaland, all music legends in their own right.
Last fall, hip-hop stars Ludacris, Ashanti, Ja Rule, Nelly and others had fans screaming, “It’s getting hot in here” when they toured several cities for their show. My 2000s playlist concert series. Global powerhouses Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin and Pitbull also capitalized on the trend with last year’s release The trilogy tourwhich recently added 18 new stops across North America this summer.
Meanwhile, iconic boy band New Kids on the Block announced the Summer Magic Tour 2024with the participation of singer and dancer Paula Abdul and DJ Jazzy Jeff, known for producing 90s hits like “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” and the theme song for Fresh Prince of Bel-Airboth played by Will Smith.
These tours are about more than just nostalgia. As experts explain to Yahoo Entertainment, they are a testament to the lasting impact of a pre-digital era of music and the deep connection to a time when music connected us without phone screens.
What’s behind the trend?
Concert ticket prices are skyrocketing and sources say these tours are much more affordable for consumers because they can see multiple artists at one event and that venues can see these “festival type”Experiences as less risky.
“It’s more economical to go to a show with several artists there, and I think the artists themselves recognize that” Joycelyn Wilsonprofessor of black media studies and hip-hop culture at Georgia Tech, told Yahoo Entertainment.
“The last thing an artist wants to do is cancel a tour because they’re not selling tickets,” she explained. Jennifer Lopez, for example, had to change the name of her tour due to low ticket sales. “Artists who choose to tour together know they have a fan base and that they will sell tickets.”
The advent of streaming and social media, Wilson argued, has distorted the idea of star power and which artists are likely to fill stadiums.
“There’s a little more confusion in the streaming numbers because we know some of those numbers are inflated,” she explained. “You might be an artist who streams well on TikTok, for example, but you might not be able to sell tickets to a live show.”
Lucas Keller, president and founder of Milk and Honeywhich manages the music industry’s top songwriters and producers, said nostalgia tours are a “win-win” for everyone.
“The value of grouping these acts together might actually be 1+1+1 = 10,” he told Yahoo Entertainment. “There are often package tours of artists who have only had one or two hits, so the consumer can hear a night of hits from several artists rather than one superstar.”
Legacy artists are able to capitalize in ways they wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity, he added. Fans are spending a lot of money on meet-and-greets, as well as merchandise, that they may not have been able to afford during their ’90s heyday when they had less disposable income.
Not to mention, streaming services stopped profits that once came from record sales and radio airwaves, said music industry strategist Sarah Jones, who has made touring a prerequisite.
“All artists, old and new, have seen such a dramatic drop in record sales that live shows are where they make most of their money these days,” she told Yahoo Entertainment. “Package tours capitalize on the combined fan base, nostalgia and spending power of older audiences.”
Reinvent and recover
The new trend arrives hot on the heels of a ’90s revival in TV, music and fashionwhich Wilson said was a reflection of something deeper.
“Everything is digital; everything is intangible now,” she explained. “The 90s and early 2000s represent a time when you went into the record store and bought your music. It represents a time when things were tangible – tickets were tangible, merchandise was tangible. Now, you put your phone in and scan [your ticket] at the door.”
To that end, stars like Missy Elliot, Ludacris and Enrique Iglesias aren’t exactly reinventing themselves with these tours, she added. Instead, they are re-presenting for the fans who were there at the beginning, when his music was more authentic.
This is something that many artists have traditionally avoided, Keller explained, noting that most artists are pressured to release new music as much as possible to stay relevant.
“Many artists, as they get older, are reluctant to play their hits and want fans and the industry to focus on new music,” he said. “I think some people have a good sense of humor about things and look to the past, which is a good thing. In most cases, new albums are made just to support the tour, and new hits don’t usually come from those releases.”
Nostalgia tours also allow artists to not be pigeonholed into the decade in which their music was released, Keller explained, giving them the ability to stay in the zeitgeist for as long as possible.
“Nostalgia tours target early fans who are now older but want to relive the hits and experience of the 90s,” explained Keller. “For boy bands and artists who had a rabid pop audience in their youth, those fans are still engaged and want to relive that experience.”
With hip-hop celebrating its 50th anniversary, Wilson said tours provide fans with historical reflection and opportunities for artists to appeal to a new generation of listeners.
“What we’re seeing is the potential for this music to expand across generations in the same way that, say, rock and country do,” she said of the value of nostalgia tours. “This is something that appeals to the whole family, making his music timeless.”
It’s not just Missy and Ludacris.
“People like The Roots, Digable Planets, these are people who released their first albums in their early 20s and are now in their 50s and still on the road touring,” Wilson said. “There will always be a market for your fans. Collaborating in this way enhances your legacy.”
