Since March 2023, pop superstar Taylor Swift has brought her record-breaking Eras Tour to sold-out stadiums in cities worldwide. By the time it concludes this December, Swift will have performed 152 shows on five continents. By a substantial margin, the Eras Tour has become the highest-grossing concert tour in history and the first to earn over $1 billion in revenue. The positive economic impact of the Eras Tour on the cities it has visited has been well documented, but what about its ability to move the Earth itself?
Geologists around the world have recorded several instances of Eras Tour concerts generating detectable seismic activity. Most recently, the British Geological Survey reported that during Swift’s June 7 concert in Edinburgh, Scotland, the ground moved by 23.4 nanometers, with the seismic activity detected from almost four miles away.
Because the setlist was the same during all three Scottish concerts, the researchers could identify the moments that generated the most movement and power from the 73,000-strong crowd. The most earth-shaking song was "…Ready For It?” from the 2017 album Reputation, which generated around 80 kilowatts of power due to the enthusiastic dancing of the crowd. “Cruel Summer,” “Shake It Off,” and "Champagne Problems” (which always gets a lengthy ovation) were also noticeably powerful moments.
Earth-shaking Swifties:
- In July 2023, the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) recorded ground acceleration similar to a magnitude 2.3 earthquake during Swift’s concerts at Lumen Field in Seattle. This exceeded the tremors caused by fan celebrations following Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch’s famous “Beast Quake” touchdown at the same stadium in 2011.
- In August 2023, more than 70,000 exuberant fans at SoFi stadium in Los Angeles caused motion sensors and nearby seismic stations to detect movement during 43 of the 45 songs Swift performed. The 2008 crowd-pleaser “You Belong With Me,” a particular sing-along favorite, notched the biggest local magnitude.
- The Eras Tour consists of 10 acts, each showcasing one of Swift’s studio albums during her 17-year career. The concert, which was revamped in May 2024 to include songs from her newest album, The Tortured Poets Department, lasts over 3.5 hours.
