Taylor Swift's record-breaking Eras Tour concerts in Edinburgh, Scotland, have been scientifically recognized as 'ground shaking,' with seismic activity detected up to 6 kilometers away.
The British Geological Survey (BGS) reported that Swift's three sold-out concerts at Murrayfield Stadium caused detectable earthquake readings, marking a unique blend of entertainment and geophysical phenomena.
US singer and songwriter Taylor Swift performs on stage at the Groupama Stadium as part of The Eras Tour, in Decines-Charpieu, eastern France, on June 2, 2024. Photo by JEFF PACHOUD/AFP via Getty Images
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Concert in the UK Triggers Small Quakes
Taylor Swift performed three consecutive nights in Edinburgh as part of her Eras Tour. These concerts, held on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, attracted tens of thousands of fans each night, with each evening breaking the previous night's attendance record.
The final night's concert set an all-time high attendance record for Scotland, with approximately 73,000 people in attendance.
The seismic activity recorded was primarily generated by fans dancing in time to Swift's music. The British Geological Survey's monitoring stations around Edinburgh captured these vibrations, with the most significant activity recorded during the songs '...Ready For It?', 'Cruel Summer', and 'champagne problems'.
According to the BGS, "the activity was mainly generated by fans dancing in time to the music and reached its peak at 160 beats per minute (bpm) during '...Ready For It?', where the crowd was transmitting approximately 80 kW of power."
The data indicates that the most enthusiastic dancing occurred on Friday night, with the ground moving 23.4 nanometers, compared to 22.8 nanometers on Saturday and 23.3 nanometers on Sunday.
Despite the significant seismic readings, these vibrations were unlikely felt beyond the immediate vicinity of the stadium, detected only by sensitive scientific instruments designed to capture even minute seismic activities.
Callum Harrison, a BGS seismologist, remarked, "It's amazing that we've been able to measure the reaction of thousands of concert goers remotely through our data."
This is not the first time Swift's concerts have caused such tremors. In July 2023, her performances at Lumen Field in Seattle attended by more than 70,000 Swifties generated seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake, astounding seismologists at the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.
Taylor Swift's concerts did not just shake the ground; they also provided major economic boost to the local and national economies.
Swift's Eras Tour is projected to add an estimated £1 billion ($1.27 billion) to the UK economy, according to research from Barclays bank. Specifically, the three nights in Edinburgh contributed an estimated $98 million to the city's economy (via CNBC).
CNBC reports that Edinburgh was well-prepared for the influx of Swift's fans. The city established an official Taylor Swift Fan Hub and promoted a "Taylored Taste Trail," involving over 40 local businesses offering Swift-themed cocktails, pastries, and activities.
