Via Know Your Meme
Justin Timberlake is currently on the last leg of his world tour that began in April 2024.. Almost exactly a year ago, this tour became a huge meme when Timberlake was arrested for driving while drinking. During the arrest, he infamously told his arresting officer that it was going to “ruin the world tour.” That saying instantly became a viral meme, and people now say it every time something does not go their way, occasionally along with Timberlake’s mug shot.
Unfortunately for him and his fans, it is clear that Timberlake’s arrest is not what is ruining his world tour. His performance is. Videos from his tour have flooded the internet, showing that Timberlake doesn’t bother to sing his most popular songs. He doesn’t even pretend or lip sync; he either points the microphone at the audience, letting them do the job, or physically puts the microphone down on the ground while he aimlessly dances around the stage.
The internet has obviously made a joke out of Timberlake’s onstage behavior, creating memes and using his performances to laugh about life. However, as an avid concert lover, I feel enraged about what is actually happening on this tour. Imagine paying hundreds of dollars to see an artist perform, only for them to decide they are not in the mood to do the one thing they are there to do, which is sing.
Via jokingjedi, farrelhegarty, terezcosplay
Considering concert tickets have also gotten tremendously expensive–it’s much more disappointing to leave a concert feeling cheated by the artist. With bots, scalpers, and Ticketmaster’s monopoly, some people end up buying concert tickets that cost more than their monthly salary. At the very least, we deserve an artist who bothers to actually sing the songs we’ve excessively paid to hear.
Unfortunately, Timberlake is not the only artist who places less emphasis on his vocal performance during concerts (even if he does so more bluntly than others). Setting aside Coldplay’s concert kiss cam revealing the affair of Astromoner’s (former) CEO, which was genuinely hilarious, many artists began to rely on everything that surrounds them on stage, rather than on what the audience wants to see most.
I doubt there was a single person who bought tickets for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour, thinking they can’t wait to see her flying above their heads in a bedazzled car or being poured a drink by an incompetent robot. Especially when these tacky tricks have malfunctioned during the tour, once even causing Beyoncé to nearly fall face-first onto her audience. No, if you were to question the devoted audience waiting in line to enter Beyoncé's arena, they would tell you about the songs they are most looking forward to hearing live and the vocal performances they are most excited about.
Via CowboyCarterWT
Katy Perry’s major flaw during her international Lifetimes tour was exactly that as well. The cheap set design and truly embarrassing choreography became the subject of widespread mockery, undermining her musical legacy (even though she is one of the most successful artists of the past two decades). Countless viral videos flooded the internet, highlighting Perry’s tired choreography and the tour’s absurd plotline. But artists as legendary as Katy Perry or Beyoncé don’t need all that on stage. If they had simply let the performance center around the songs everyone knows and loves, the audience would have left far more satisfied and content.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good show. It is more than reasonable to aim for a concert to be an entertaining experience for the audience, even by using a shiny set design or an ensemble of talented dancers. However, the music should always be the main event and not be pushed to the sidelines. It saddens me that concerts have become these ridiculous circus shows rather than celebrations of music. Once great performers have lost sight of what should matter to them the most. I don’t care how many outfit changes Taylor Swift manages on her Eras tour, or what position Sabrina Carpenter did during “Juno.” I just want to listen to them sing my favorite songs live and call it a night.
If the rumors are true, a Hannah Montana 20th anniversary concert might be announced soon, so I sure hope Miley Cyrus is on the same page as me when it comes to live performances. Who needs more than her blond wig and finally watching her perform “The Best of Both Worlds” live?
Via Mahé Charpentier
