by | 21 Apr 2025 | Culture, Economy, Music, Student Posts, Tatnall School, Youth Voices
Indie rock band Oracle Sisters in concert at Sala Sol, in Madrid 24 March 2025. (Photo by Cathal O’Luanaigh)
This article, by high school student Owen Werkheiser was produced out of News Decoder’s school partnership program. Owen is a student at the Tatnall School, a News Decoder partner institution. Learn more about how News Decoder can work with your school.
What is happening to the local music scene?
I remember my parents telling me when I was a child that one of the best ways to spend a Saturday night as an adult was to visit a local bar and watch live bands with friends. However, as I grew older, I found it increasingly difficult to find such venues.
With the music industry generating billions in global revenue — from Taylor Swift’s stadium tours to Coldplay’s international sellouts — one might expect local scenes to benefit.
Instead, small venues from Pennsylvania to rural Ireland are shuttering at alarming rates. Vibrant shows, diverse crowds and strong community support for musicians should be the norm. Yet, in recent years, the opposite has happened. Attendance at small venues has plummeted and emerging artists are finding fewer opportunities to perform publicly.
While the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this decline, the trend had already been in motion for years. Fewer people are as interested in local music these days. But why?
One major factor is the rise of social media. With music accessible at our fingertips, listeners no longer rely on their local scene to discover new artists. Instead of attending live performances, they can explore endless music from home.
Bassist and lead singer of the band Heaven’s Gate, 21-year-old Mike Danocwzi, offers insight on the matter. “People have forgotten what it’s like to have to leave their home to experience a song,” Danocwzi said. “Instead, they get too lost in their feed to even appreciate the vibes.”
Having played guitar alongside Danocwzi at several shows, I can’t help but agree. Turnout is often disappointing and those who do attend seem more focused on their phones — texting, scrolling or recording — than on the performance itself.
A study by the Pew Research Center found that 99% of Americans and Canadians over 18 have a cell phone with social media. The Deloitte Center for Technology and Communications reported that 86% of Gen Z listeners discover new music through social media rather than live shows.
Economic factors have also played a role. The rising cost of living has left many young adults with less disposable income for entertainment. This, combined with the skyrocketing cost of college — nearly triple what it was in the 1990s — has created a growing divide between artists and audiences.
Another issue is the commercialization of the modern music industry. The so-called “middle class” of musicians is disappearing, mirroring the growing wealth gap in society. There is an ever-widening divide between mega-stars and independent artists.
Superstars like Drake, Taylor Swift and Metallica dominate the industry, leaving little room for smaller musicians to thrive. Music is no longer about unity through sound but rather unity through the artist — a shift that has changed how people engage with the industry.
Virginia musician and local staple Jerry Reynolds believes this change has altered the very definition of being an artist. “These new stars don’t understand what made the industry fucking great,” Reynolds said. “I remember starting in bars not so I could make fucking money, just so I could fucking play in my damn community.”
Reynolds, who chose to stay in the local circuit rather than chase stardom, argues that music should be about the song, not commercial success. He believes today’s artists have lost sight of what truly matters.
The decline of guitar-driven music is another factor. Before social media, being a skilled guitarist was one of the coolest things a person could do, often launching musicians to stardom. Legends like Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton became icons through sheer talent and showmanship.
Now, however, technical skill alone is no longer enough. The internet has accelerated the exchange of musical ideas to such an extent that virtuoso guitarists are no longer a rarity. As a result, the spectacle of live performance has lost some of its magic.
This isn’t just a local issue. Around the world, small music venues and local cultural hubs are in decline. A 2023 Guardian article reported that the UK lost over 120 grassroots music venues in a single year — roughly 15% of its total. In Ireland, the closure of rural pubs — many of which double as performance spaces — is becoming a social crisis. These establishments often serve as the heart of small communities, acting as gathering places for conversation, connection and live music.
Similar stories have emerged in Australia, Canada and parts of Europe, where independent venues are battling rising rents, insurance costs and shrinking audiences. The Music Venue Trust in the UK warns that without intervention, the cultural backbone of the live music scene could collapse entirely.
At the same time, the stadium concert economy is booming. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour grossed over $1 billion globally. Coldplay has sold out massive stadiums with capacities of over 70,000, with average ticket prices reaching several hundred dollars. The contrast is stark: while the biggest names in music break records, many local artists struggle to draw a crowd or even cover travel costs for a performance.
What does this mean for the future of local music? And more importantly, can anything be done to reverse this trend?
The short answer is simple: support your local scene. Look up small venues, ask about upcoming shows and show up for independent artists. Better yet, start a band or organize a local event.
This isn’t just a problem in your neighborhood — it’s a global cultural shift. But change can start small.
The biggest obstacle facing live music is our own reluctance to step outside the comfort of our homes. If more people make the effort to rediscover the excitement of live performances, the local music scene could experience a revival. And with that resurgence, small artists may once again find a home within their communities.
1. Why are many small music venues struggling?
2. What is one reason younger people are not going to clubs to see live music?
3. What was the last live music you saw? How was it different from streaming the music?
Owen Werkheiser is in his fourth year at the Tatnall school, and plans to study architecture at university. He has spent countless hours absorbing music and has regularly attended and played at local concerts in the greater Philadelphia area which has given him a unique perspective as both a consumer and a producer of music.
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