Desperate Times AI Music
If you were to glance at the lineup of the When We Were Young music festival, you might think you’ve stumbled upon a time machine taking you back to 2003. This two-day extravaganza boasts a remarkable collection of bands that dominated the late ’90s and early 2000s music scene – from the likes of Blink-182, Green Day, to Good Charlotte. Surprisingly, this event is not a throwback but set to rock our world in the fall of 2023.
Remarkably, tickets for the festival sold out in record time, and this success is no accident. When We Were Young, a brainchild of Live Nation, emerged last year as the ultimate successor to the iconic Warped Tour, and it has already become a massive hit.
According to Reddit and Bloomberg Live Nation’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael Rapino, shared his enthusiasm during an earnings call last year: “We launched a When We Were Young festival out of Vegas, we hoped to sell 40,000 tickets,” he said. “We sold over 160,000 tickets in Vegas; so it’s a huge success in a brand new festival.”
The phenomenon doesn’t stop there. This trend of nostalgic rock fever is spreading like wildfire across the globe. Fans can’t seem to get enough of the bands that defined their youth, and the feeling is mutual as these bands reunite and bring back fan-favorite albums, kick-starting global tours that rake in jaw-dropping revenue and catapult them back into the limelight.
A case in point is Blink-182, who made a triumphant return with their classic lineup, featuring Tom DeLonge, Travis Barker, and Mark Hoppus. They sent shockwaves through the music industry by announcing an extensive, nearly year-long global tour with over 50 dates, spanning iconic venues from Madison Square Garden in the US to Qudos Bank Arena in Australia.
The North American leg of their tour, running from April to July, proved to be a resounding success, grossing a staggering $85.3 million and selling a jaw-dropping 564,000 tickets, according to Billboard Boxscore. Their live performances not only thrilled audiences but also propelled them to an impressive eighth spot on Bloomberg’s Pop Star Power Rankings for June, based on Pollstar data.
It’s not just the live performances that are garnering attention; the band’s revival is also translating into a digital sensation. With over 18 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Blink-182 is captivating audiences anew with their timeless hits, including the beloved early singles like “All The Small Things.” Their latest song, “Edging,” released in October 2022, has soared to the top of Billboard’s Rock & Alternative Airplay chart and has amassed over 38 million streams on Spotify.
As the When We Were Young music festival approaches, anticipation is reaching a fever pitch. This resurgence of iconic bands from the late ’90s and aughts proves that the allure of nostalgia knows no bounds. Whether you’re a devoted fan reliving your youth or a newcomer experiencing these legends for the first time, there’s no doubt that this festival will be a celebration of music’s timeless power and enduring impact.
