Though once reserved for rock and roll, co-headlined toursare creating their own resurgence in today’s music scene. As collaborative efforts win over crowds and logistically benefit an artist, the return in popularity of this performance style can be seen as a strategic and artistic choice in expanding outreach. The concept of joint performance tours originated with different classic rock acts forming tours together, with early notable performances by the Rolling Stones and The Who for their collaborative tour in 1969. Since then, this style of performance has flourished among other genres, with the “Face to Face” tour presented by Billy Joel and Elton John receiving acclaimed success, running from 1994 to 2010 with varying features throughout the years. Sharing the spotlight, artists attract their respective fan bases to unite a larger audience. In contrast to only allowing an opening act, the addition of a co-performer increases the audience reached, allowing for larger venues and more revenue gain for artists.

With the recent increase of collaborations and social outreach from artists, co-headlining has made its comeback. According to Mozaic, in 2020, 40% of the top songs on the Billboard Hot 100 involved a feature or collaboration. With greater demonstrated interest in collaborative music, combining different styles and genres, prevalent artists have joined the trend of dual-headlining. Recent examples include Charli XCX and Troye Sivan’s “Sweat” tour and Billy Joel’s performances alongside Stevie Nicks and Sting.

With Kendrick Lamar’s release of “GNX” and SZA’s release of “SOS Deluxe: LANA,” the two decided to tour together on the “Grand National Tour.” Some fans, like sophomore Tess Gennarelli of Manasquan, went to the concert looking forward to hearing the music of both artists.

“I went to see both artists, and I think that their collaborative and solo work is really good,” Gennarelli said. “I enjoyed seeing both of them individually and together.”

While some people enjoy joint tours, many other fans prefer solo concerts. Junior Declan Berry of Fair Haven, who attended the “Grand National Tour,” feels that joint concerts aren’t as fun or concert-goers who aren’t familiar with one artist’s music.

“I only went for one artist, and I sat for the other artist, so I didn’t get to enjoy it completely,” Berry said. Although not every fan may enjoy these concerts, artists on co-headlining tours are gathering new listeners and more money. With the high ticket demand for these concerts, artists are bringing in greater revenue and selling out stadiums quicker, compared to just going on a solo tour. Senior Evelyn Seetoo of Freehold recognizes that these concerts are beneficial for both artists.

“From an artist standpoint, I think it’s really smart,” Seetoo said. “Depending on how broad the different genres of the two artists are, you’re really pulling from both audiences.”