At a recent Taylor Swift concert in downtown Seattle, something extraordinary happened. The ground shook so intensely that it actually registered on a nearby seismometer, reaching a magnitude equivalent to a 2.3 earthquake. With approximately 70,000 fans in attendance, along with all the music and concert-related paraphernalia, this was undoubtedly a massive event.
Seismologists from the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, responsible for monitoring earthquake activity in the region, were amazed by the seismic activity caused by the concert. Mouse Reusch, one of the seismologists, described it as the biggest concert they had seen in quite some time. Jackie Caplan-Auerbach, a seismologist from Western Washington University, measured the maximum ground acceleration at approximately 0.011 meters per second squared.
Seismologists use acceleration to measure ground vibrations, which can then be converted to the more well-known Richter scale, commonly used for earthquakes. While seismometers can detect vibrations from various sources, such as cars and stampeding cattle, the “Swift Quake” drew comparisons to the famous “Beast Quake” of 2011. The Beast Quake occurred when Seattle Seahawks fans erupted in celebration after a last-minute touchdown by Marshawn Lynch, known as “Beast Mode.” The seismic activity recorded during that event was close to a magnitude 2.0 earthquake.
Interestingly, both the “Swift Quake” and the Beast Quake were recorded by the same seismic station located outside Lumen Field. The readings for Taylor Swift’s concerts on July 22 and 23 were consistently strong, surpassing the ground-shaking intensity of the 2011 Seahawks game. While the magnitude difference was only 0.3, it represented a twofold change on the logarithmic Richter scale.
The likely cause of the intense seismic activity during Taylor Swift’s concert was a combination of the powerful sound system and the synchronized dancing of her devoted fans, known as Swifties.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, currently ongoing, has been a massive success. It is a sold-out 52-date national tour that has attracted enormous crowds eager to witness her perform songs from her 10-album career. For instance, her show in Arizona in March drew around 70,000 fans. Tickets for her upcoming Santa Clara show were even being sold for up to $20,000 on secondary ticket exchanges like Vivid Seats.
The two concerts in Seattle revealed near-identical patterns on the seismometer, suggesting that the sets were similar as well. The shaking peaked twice, first around 7:30 p.m. and then again around 9:30 p.m. While the exact songs causing these peaks remain unknown, hits like “Shake It Off,” “Love Story,” “Bad Blood,” and “Anti-Hero” surely got the Swifties on their feet.
It’s important to note that while the concerts generated unusually strong ground vibrations, seismometers can detect signals from various sources, including cars, trains, and even wind. Taylor Swift is not the only artist capable of triggering such seismic activity. During The Weeknd’s performance at Lumen Field on August 25, 2022, the seismometer also recorded signals, although they were not as powerful. Beyoncé is set to perform at the same venue on September 14, and seismologists are eager to observe the potential impact.
Seismologist Mouse Reusch expressed her delight at the public’s attention to this seismic phenomenon. She hopes that young Swifties who witnessed the “Swift Quake” might be inspired to pursue careers as seismologists or earth scientists. It would indeed be a happy ending if the concert’s seismic effects sparked an interest in the natural world and the study of earthquakes.
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