With the live music sector slowly recovering from the shock it received due to the COVID-19 pandemic, musicians are readying themselves for the long-awaited return to touring, and concert announcements are coming in steadily. Audiences are looking forward to the performances again, and when should they expect announcements about new tours? :=) Yes, I noticed that there are several times in one year when a large number of concert announcements generally occur.
One of the peaks in terms of concert tour activity is early January. As we move from the holiday period into the early part of the New Year artists and promoters are plotting out touring agendas and strategies that were put into abeyance. January is also typically when massive festival lineups start being announced as well so it’s a large month for live music updates in general. Several artists have also revealed huge tours for 2023 within the first year of announcing concerts.
Concert tour dates to be unveiled are often during the active spring rush in April-May. Musical artists who wish to embark on summer performances usually market these months ahead of the let fans know of their intentions. The period from April to May is also suitable for further announcements of the previously announced tours and the inclusion of new cities or extra shows in them. Thus, fans who felt let down when the first tour announcements did not name their town should remain optimistic during this season that more extensive plans may still bring the concert their way after all.
The period of August-September is also active in announcing tours for the year. After the summer touring season, artists confirm their touring plans for the fall and winter months and share them with the fans. These months indicate the time when programs for the upcoming fall, holy, and New Year events enter the schedules and go up for sale. This is the time when fans can make their choices to plan their concert calendar for the coming year.
Of course, surprise concert announcements can go out at any time an artist wishes to unveil their touring schedule. From time to time, a star can declare a one-off concert or a special concert performance without prior publicity. Nevertheless, the main windows described above are intended for such periods when a majority of press releases related to new concert tours tend to occur.
Still, not all concert announcements can be pre-planned for those tourism seasons though. The time to announce a tour can also vary depending on the stage at which an artist is in his or her career. New artists who may be planning their first-ever headline tour will release dates as soon as they confirm them to build excitement for ticket sales. Veteran artists with a solid following can afford to sit tight and share the on-sale date closer to the first performance. This is a good example of this strategy from one of the most famous artists in the world – Beyonce and her 2023 Renaissance tour.
Of course, there are always some external factors which may affect certain timetables too. The pandemic disrupted usual touring patterns with large-scale delays and suspensions in the years 2020 and 2021. A significant number of delayed tours are still in the process of chasing tours and rebooking them for a second time several years later. And some artists may just decide to tour less, stating no plans for a 2023 tour at all while the concert business tries to recover.
But still, historical data of seasons are indicative of when fans should expect more frequent tour announcements for live music plans. Understanding these key announcement windows can help the fans wait when the artist they like is going to release the next year’s dates. Stalking artist websites and social accounts in the periods of January Kickoff, April-May spring rush, and August-September 2023 tour announcement is the best way to get the most satisfying payoff when watching fans longing for the return of live concerts.
