Taylor Swift to Beyoncé: How musicians are bringing back concert films era

The beauty of cinema is that it allows everyone to participate in it. From fiction to biopics, moviegoers like to tickle their curiosity with a wide palette of films.

Amidst this, a small section is dedicated to those who like to delve into the lives of celebrities as is. For instance, looking at musicians and how they work during world tours.

Although niche, this genre has seen some incredible films in the past few decades. From Bruce Springsteen to the late pop king, Michael Jackson, everyone has their fair share of such movies under their belt. However, this year, the genre seems to be making an important comeback.

Two of the biggest pop and RnB icons, Taylor Swift and Beyonce, had decided to release their film over the next few months. Taylor Swift has her 

So, why is this such a big deal?

Well, for starters, concert films are a rarity, and more so when it comes to such big celebs. In the past few decades, we saw a handful of films from Pink Floy, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, and Various, to name a few. But as opposed to fictional works based on musicians, they were far more in numbers, and with much larger reception.

So, at a time like this, especially with the SAG-AFTRA strike continuing, concert films are a great escape. Similarly, since musicians’ touring had been reduced in the wake of the pandemic, having them back on stage is a joy for many fans. Moreover, as many fans are unable to watch the concert due to the cost of the event or the lack of the date, they can now catch a glimpse of everything they missed. Sure, watching a concert is an entirely different experience, but a movie can come in second close. Moreover, those who have seen a concert in one country can always get a larger picture through the movie.

Why are concert films here to stay?

It isn’t the first time TayTay or Bey decided to release concert films. Swift featured her “Reputation Tour” in 2018, while “The Beyoncé Experience Live” was screened in nearly 100 theatres nationwide for a single day in 2007 to mark the DVD release. Considering the buzz around it back then (and even now), concert films seem like a cultural phenomenon.

By that, I mean, that concerts can become hazy memories for people years later. However, a film allows them to relive those moments easily. Moreover, considering the boost the concerts provided to the US economy ($4.5 billion together), there is no way the stars themselves will let go of the opportunity to reach out to people in the remotest of corners through a film. This way, the hype of their work continues, and the country’s economy flourishes.

But speaking strictly about entertainment, concert movies provide relief from the usual films that are reigning the box-office. As I mentioned yesterday, franchise and superhero fatigue has set in, with people breaking away from content they watch. In this landscape, a Taylor or Beyonce film generates curiosity. I am not a big Talyor fan, but after reading multiple headlines and seeing videos of how the concerts were, I wouldn’t mind tuning in to judge it for myself.

However, there is hope that such films do not become the standard like the way franchises are built. Not only will it take away the magic, but will turn away people who are looking for a good time.