2022 was an exciting year for music. Harry Styles played a record-breaking 15 shows at Madison Square Garden, Bad Bunny was declared the most-streamed artist on Spotify for the third year in a row, The 1975 put on a bizarre (albeit irresistible) arena tour, and SZA ended the year on a high note with the release of her latest album SOS.
2023 is already out to rival the past year, though. With Frank Ocean (you read that correctly) headlining Coachella, sad-girl trio Boygenius announcing a full-length album, De La Soul’s entire catalogue coming to streaming services this spring, and Rihanna coming out of hiatus to deliver a show-stopping Super Bowl performance, music fanatics have much to celebrate.
If you are as much a music lover as we here at Poptized are, then listed below are some U.S. (and Canada) tours you are not going to want to miss in 2023.
A Love Letter to Pop Girlies:
Taylor Swift
Are you ready for it? Are you at least more ready for it than Ticketmaster? Miss Swift is once again returning to the stage for her most renowned tour yet. If the idea of seeing Taylor Swift in the flesh wasn’t enough, she invited all your other favorite musicians to be her openers (Phoebe Bridgers, girl in red, MUNA, Gracie Abrams, Paramore, OWENN, beabadoobee, GAYLE, and HAIM). If you didn’t risk your life in the virtual queue scoring tickets, join me in living vicariously through the tour videos that await our Instagram feeds.
Beyonce
This woman needs no introduction. In her first tour since 2016, Queen B is ready to parade the album that helped make her the most Grammy-decorated artist in history. RENAISSANCE is a record for the decade, so you better be ready to celebrate by dancing and singing your heart out in those stadiums.
Alt-Nation:
Caroline Polachek
Releasing her second studio album Desire, I Want To Turn Into You this past Valentine’s Day, Caroline Polachek makes falling in love with her easy. She opened for Dua Lipa last year, recently had Charli XCX remix one of her singles, and is bringing along the ethereal Ethel Cain on her upcoming tour. Take a trip to Polacheck’s island this spring.
Arctic Monkeys
The kings of the Tumblr era are back. Their first album in four years, The Car was a triumphant return to the limelight. Your favorite Brits are ringing in autumn by journeying through North America for a little over a month, so make sure to see them before they’re gone.
Calling All Hip-Hop Heads:
Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne has been in the game for over twenty years now, and this tour is the proof that he’s not leaving anytime soon. Brace yourself for some crazy hype crowds—hearing some of those middle school classics live would rightfully make any sane person go feral. Make sure to catch him during his brief run.
Drake & 21 Savage
TBD
Though there has been no official tour announcement, Drake was quoted saying, “We’re gonna be out on the road this summer,” during a January performance at Apollo Theater in NYC that featured Her Loss co-creator 21 Savage. We’re keeping our fingers crossed in hopes that Drake was telling the truth, or else it’ll be our loss…
For the Modern Rocker:
Louis Tomlinson
One Direction alumnus Louis Tomlinson isn’t just making a name for himself, he’s discovering his sound. Tomlinson’s boy band writing credits (Ex. “No Control”) held clues to his future pop-rock musical endeavors, but his latest album is a full-blown realization of who he is as a solo musician. Tomlinson will be launching the North American leg of his Faith in the Future tour this summer.
Inhaler
Fronted by the son of musical legend Bono, Dublin-based Inhaler doesn’t need nepotism to thrive. With over one million monthly listeners on Spotify, the quartet’s popularity is known far beyond the British Isles. This spring they’re crossing the pond to spend a month-long stint performing in North America.
Giddy Up, Cowboy:
Luke Combs
Breaking records with the announcement of his world tour, Luke Combs was the first international artist to sell out an Australian and New Zealand tour. No matter how you feel about country music, Combs is an undeniable force in the music industry. He challenges common misconceptions about the genre, too, insisting that country music is about knowing where home is and basking in the feeling of freedom. Catch him later this year during his world tour.
Shania Twain
Spending more than half the year on tour, Shania Twain seems never to tire. Revered by performers all across the genre-spectrum, Twain has done wonders for the historical course of contemporary music since her debut in 1993. She also turned me into a country convert—let her do the same for you.
Let us know if you attend any of the aforementioned concerts by reaching out to us on Instagram @poptizedmag
