tag:theconversation.com,2011:/fr/topics/abba-57217/articlesAbba – The Conversation2024-01-22T16:32:50Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2212602024-01-22T16:32:50Z2024-01-22T16:32:50ZFour ways AI will impact music, from Elvis holograms to interactive soundscapes<p>In the heart of London, a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/jan/04/elvis-evolution-hologram-show-london-premiere">new kind of show</a> is unfolding. Elvis Presley, the king of rock ‘n’ roll, is to take to the stage once more – not in flesh and blood of course, but as a <a href="https://www.respeecher.com/blog/holograms-real-life-technology-works-industry-use-cases">hologram</a>. This spectacle, titled <a href="https://elvis.layeredreality.com/">Elvis Evolution</a>, is more than just a concert and offers a distinct experience from the likes of Abba’s digital avatars: it’s a testament to how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping our experience of music and performance. </p>
<p>Unlike the <a href="https://abbavoyage.com/">Abba Voyage</a> hologram show, which primarily focuses on delivering a high-tech concert experience, Elvis Evolution aims to provide an <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/ai-elvis-presley-to-star-on-uk-stage-for-first-time-with-never-seen-before-performances-13041602">immersive journey</a> into Elvis’s life. It will feature interactive sets and multi-sensory elements to transport the audience back in time.</p>
<p>While Abba Voyage uses <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/abba-voyage-behind-the-scenes-secrets_uk_6290de90e4b0cda85dbdf503">motion-capture technology</a> for highly detailed avatars, Elvis Evolution will employ AI-generated animation for a more flexible and dynamic performance, potentially featuring different eras of Presley’s career.</p>
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<p>Crucially, this AI-powered Elvis offers the possibility of real-time interaction with the audience, unlike the prerecorded nature of Abba Voyage. This means that while both shows are remarkable in their own right, Elvis Evolution will offer a broader exploration of an artist’s life and career – a unique, multi-sensory holographic experience.</p>
<p>The application of AI in holographic projection is not an entirely recent development – indeed, this technology has been utilised for some years now. A notable example is the DJ Eric Prydz, who has been <a href="https://www.livedesignonline.com/news/eric-prydz-holo-stuns-holographic-3d-fx-powered-by-avolites-ai">incorporating AI-driven holographic projections</a> into his electronic dance music performances for more than 15 years.</p>
<p>But the Elvis hologram show serves as an impressive demonstration of AI’s capability to resurrect iconic artists more and more realistically. Utilising AI in conjunction with holographic projection, technicians and artists are able to forge an almost tangible representation of revered entertainers who are now long gone.</p>
<p>This method involves a detailed analysis of thousands of photographs and videos, enabling a recreation that captures the true spirit of the artist. This isn’t just a trip down memory lane – it’s a leap into a new era where technology bridges the gap between past and present, allowing fans to relive concerts that were once just a fleeting moment in time.</p>
<p>But how else will the rapidly accelerating technology of AI affect music and performance? </p>
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<h2>1. AI in music production</h2>
<p>Transitioning from the stage to the studio, AI’s role in music production is equally ground-breaking. As an <a href="https://www.siliconindia.com/news/general/ai-scientist-somdip-dey-aka-intelidey-breaks-ground-with-his-first-melodic-deep-house-release-warning-nid-225637-cid-1.html">AI music producer</a>, I have experienced firsthand how these algorithms can compose, create unique sounds and even foresee music trends.</p>
<p>AI tools analyse vast amounts of music data to learn patterns and styles, enabling them to generate compositions in any genre. This <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/a-window-to-the-tech-world/generative-ais-crescendo-in-music-production/">technology</a> is not just a tool, it’s a collaborator, opening doors to new soundscapes and musical possibilities.</p>
<h2>2. The future of live performance</h2>
<p>Beyond holograms, AI is poised to transform live performances in ways we’ve only begun to imagine. Picture a concert where the music adapts in real-time to the mood of the audience, or where immersive soundscapes change based on real-time interactions. </p>
<p>These AI-driven experiences promise to make live shows more dynamic and responsive, offering a level of personalisation that goes beyond a one-size-fits-all performance.</p>
<h2>3. Ethical and creative implications</h2>
<p>The use of AI to resurrect artists for posthumous performances sparks a profound ethical debate. This dilemma centres on the question: is it ethical to “resurrect” artists for performances they never consented to? </p>
<p>On the one hand, these technological marvels allow fans to relive the magic of legendary performers, creating new experiences with historical figures. On the other, it raises concerns about consent, authenticity and the moral rights of those who are no longer here to voice their opinions.</p>
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<p>Addressing these ethical dilemmas involves a multifaceted approach. First, the consent of the artist’s estate is critical. This includes respecting the wishes of the family and the legal entities that manage the artist’s legacy. However, legal consent is just one aspect. There’s also a moral responsibility to stay true to the artist’s style, ethos and message. This means not just recreating an artist’s likeness but capturing the essence of their artistry in a way that honours their legacy.</p>
<p>Another layer to this debate is the authenticity of the experience. While AI and holographic technology can create visually and sonically accurate representations, they cannot encapsulate the spontaneous, human nuances that defined many great performers. Preserving the integrity of the original performances becomes essential. It’s about striking a balance between innovation and respect, ensuring these recreations do not distort or oversimplify the artist’s contributions to their art.</p>
<p>So crucially, there’s a creative responsibility that comes with using AI in this context. It should be about more than just replicating past performances. These concerts should also explore how these artists might have evolved or collaborated with contemporary talents. </p>
<p>This approach not only pays homage to the artists’ past works but also imagines their potential future contributions, blending historical influence with modern creativity.</p>
<h2>4. Audience engagement</h2>
<p>Finally, AI is revolutionising how audiences engage with music. From virtual reality concerts offering a 360-degree sensory experience to <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/14/spotify-confirms-test-of-prompt-based-ai-playlists-feature/">AI-curated playlists</a> that understand our preferences better than we do, the future of music is not just about listening, it’s about experiencing. We are moving towards a world where music is not just heard but felt and lived in ways that transcend traditional boundaries.</p>
<p>As we stand at the crossroads of technology and creativity, the possibilities are as limitless as our imagination. The Elvis hologram show is just the beginning of the future of AI-led concerts. In this new landscape, AI is not just a tool – it’s a canvas, a stage and a new voice in the chorus of musical innovation.</p>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Somdip Dey does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Thanks to AI, the future of music is not just about listening, it’s about experiencing.Somdip Dey, Embedded Artificial Intelligence Scientist & AI Music Producer, University of EssexLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2069612023-07-13T17:47:14Z2023-07-13T17:47:14ZHow ABBA Voyage and other avatar or ‘hologram’ concert performances evoke fans’ real responses<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536140/original/file-20230706-29-2jv8g3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C112%2C4768%2C3112&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Fans outside the ABBA Arena in London, a venue built for the ABBA Voyage concert, in May 2022. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/how-abba-voyage-and-other-avatar-or-hologram-concert-performances-evoke-fans-real-responses" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>At ABBA Voyage, a 90-minute long digital concert event, ABBA’s Benny Andersson looks over the crowd and addresses them reassuringly: “<a href="https://www.irishnews.com/arts/music/2023/06/07/news/abba_voyage_thank_you_for_the_music_even_if_it_s_not_really_you_-3327080/">This is really me</a>, I just look very good for my age.” </p>
<p>Andersson, of course, is not physically present in the arena, but rather is a digitally animated avatar. </p>
<p><a href="https://abbavoyage.com/theconcert/">ABBA Voyage is a</a> new type of concert experience, where avatars of the pop stars <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/abba-voyage-live-house-band-who-are-they-how-long-perform-interview-3236008">are accompanied by live musicians</a>. This performance is hosted in a <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/15977087/inside-abba-voyage-show-comeback/">3,000-seat custom-built</a> concert venue in London. </p>
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<p>Unlike earlier digital avatar performances (sometimes referred <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2019/05/whitney-houston-3d-hologram-tour-technology.html">to as “hologram” concerts</a>), ABBA Voyage plays out on <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90759421/forget-irl-concerts-heres-how-abbas-new-arena-was-designed-for-digital-avatars">65-million-pixel LED screens</a>. In previous shows featuring the likes of Roy Orbison and Whitney Houston, performers’ avatars were projected onto a band of translucent plastic. In both formats, an animated two-dimensional image on a screen gives the appearance of a lifelike, 3D performer.</p>
<p>Recent research on <a href="https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=29375">K-pop performances with digital avatars</a> has shown that these digital performers can in fact create a sense of co-presence and immediacy with a live audience, and ABBA Voyage concerts do the same. </p>
<p>Voyage blurs the boundaries of what audiences understand as a live performance, contributing to a <a href="https://direct.mit.edu/books/book/1945/Digital-PerformanceA-History-of-New-Media-in">century-long conversation</a> about the complex relationship between technology and performance in the arts. It raises questions about whether digital avatar concerts can meet audiences’ expectations in a live concert experience. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/k-pop-fans-protest-against-treatment-of-monsta-x-lead-singer-126654">K-pop fans protest against treatment of Monsta X lead singer</a>
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<h2>Skeptical about aims</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/03007766.2023.2208048">Many fans</a> and <a href="https://www.clashmusic.com/features/is-abba-voyage-crossing-a-worrying-line/">critics were</a> skeptical about ABBA’s virtual return, which was preceded <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/02/abba-reunite-for-voyage-first-new-album-in-40-years">by a new record release, also titled <em>Voyage</em></a>.</p>
<p>Reviews of the digital concert experience frequently use language that paint the experience as hyper-real <a href="https://www.musicradar.com/features/abba-voyage-how-does-it-work-best-of-2022">and somewhat uncanny</a>. Reviewer Niall Byrne of the Irish music site Nialler described the show as featuring ABBA “<a href="https://nialler9.com/abba-voyage-review-the-greatest-almost-real-pop-show-youll-ever-see/">cryogenically frozen as their younger selves</a>.” </p>
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<img alt="Four people, two men and two women, wearing fancy suits, stand at a red carpet event with the word ABBA behind them." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536154/original/file-20230706-29-j1jo6g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536154/original/file-20230706-29-j1jo6g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536154/original/file-20230706-29-j1jo6g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536154/original/file-20230706-29-j1jo6g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536154/original/file-20230706-29-j1jo6g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536154/original/file-20230706-29-j1jo6g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536154/original/file-20230706-29-j1jo6g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Members of ABBA, from left, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson, arrive for the ABBA Voyage concert in London in May 2022, before the virtual version of the band began a series of concerts.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)</span></span>
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<p>But <a href="https://www.westendtheatre.com/159744/news/abba-voyage-sells-over-1-million-tickets-set-to-tour-the-world/">1.3 million</a> ticket sales later, the show’s success speaks for itself. </p>
<p>However, the fixation on whether or not ABBA Voyage is a “real” concert takes attention away from a far more interesting conversation: how an avatar performance evokes very real responses from an audience sharing a physical space and an emotional experience. </p>
<h2>Fans prepare and invest</h2>
<p>In 2022, my research assistants and I conducted interviews with audience members ranging in age from their early 20s to their late 50s who had travelled to ABBA Voyage from five different countries in North America and Europe. One of the themes concertgoers were most eager to describe was their preparation for the concert. </p>
<p>Attendees discussed in detail the plans they had drawn up for their trip — sometimes nearly a year in advance. They described the long wait and anticipation they felt, <a href="https://graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/outfit-ideas/abba-outfits/">the outfits</a> they had prepared and the way they had re-listened to ABBA’s music — all in an effort to feel ready to participate in an event that they hoped would be meaningful and memorable.</p>
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<span class="caption">A fan shows off an ABBA tattoo while awaiting the ABBA Voyage concert in London in May 2022.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)</span></span>
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<h2>Fears about technology, emotional payoff</h2>
<p>Our interview subjects commonly experienced apprehension at the beginning of the show, owing to the amount of preparation they had invested as concertgoers. </p>
<p>For some, it was anxiety about the extensive <a href="https://audiomediainternational.com/abba-voyage-review/">use of technology</a> and the ways it might hinder the experience. For others, it was simply a nervous hope that the show would live up to their expectations. </p>
<p>One interviewee from Bristol, England, found that they were unable to relax into enjoying the show until they had overcome these anxieties: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“You kind of invest so much into it and you so much want it to be brilliant and you’re kind of a bit worried that you might feel let down. So it wasn’t until the first 10 minutes was over that I found that like: ‘Oh, I can relax now. It is really brilliant so I can enjoy it!’” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Despite fears about technology and the show’s emotional payoff, every interviewee who expressed these reservations later affirmed that their expectations were exceeded by the concert.</p>
<h2>Creating lasting memories</h2>
<p>Audience members reported that they left the venue with a sense of connection to those with whom they shared the experience — a finding that echoes <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/popular-music/article/abs/locating-liveness-in-holographic-performances-technological-anxiety-and-participatory-fandom-at-vocaloid-concerts/CC25B746A2FFD64C9ECED119C3CE4AFC">recent research</a> into fan experiences at other digital concert events.</p>
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<img alt="People seen holding a banner that says 'welcome back ABBA.'" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536633/original/file-20230710-15681-pfhwi8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536633/original/file-20230710-15681-pfhwi8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536633/original/file-20230710-15681-pfhwi8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536633/original/file-20230710-15681-pfhwi8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536633/original/file-20230710-15681-pfhwi8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536633/original/file-20230710-15681-pfhwi8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536633/original/file-20230710-15681-pfhwi8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Fans await the ABBA Voyage concert in London in May 2022.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)</span></span>
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<p>Some participants noted that they felt unexpectedly emotional participating in this group dynamic, including a middle-aged man:</p>
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<p>“It’s kind of like shock and awe isn’t it? …. I felt quite emotional at times through the concert, and you’re thinking: ‘Well, why are you emotional? It’s technology that’s like, reproducing this for you….’ I know there were people around me that were feeling the same way as well, and how often does that happen, you know?” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Voyage works on an emotional level because it encourages audience preparation and anticipation, and then delivers a collective experience of live connection, surprise and wonder.</p>
<h2>Human connection</h2>
<p>Audiences bring a performance — holographic or otherwise — to life with their <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Experiencing-Liveness-in-Contemporary-Performance-Interdisciplinary-Perspectives/Reason-Lindelof/p/book/9780367513566">attention and investment</a>, and ABBA Voyage serves as a clear demonstration of this effect. </p>
<p>These interviews demonstrated the ways that the audience’s preparation positions them to have a meaningful experience, and how the carefully designed elements of the show ease anxieties about potential disappointment or alienation during the pre-programmed concert. </p>
<p>The audience at Voyage can experience a sense of community and feelings of personal meaning, regardless of whether the performers are bodily present. As music researcher <a href="https://www.weslpress.org/9780819572240/musicking/">Christopher Small</a> has argued, experiences of identity and meaning in a musical experience are co-created by all of its participants, including the audience.</p>
<p>The new performance practices at ABBA Voyage — and audience members’ responses to them — offer important insights into the inner workings of live audience engagement, particularly as we move further into an age in which human and technological elements are becoming increasingly intertwined.</p>
<p><em>Research assistants John Glanville and Anna Konrad co-authored this story.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206961/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alyssa Michaud receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and from the Ambrose University Research Fund. </span></em></p>Fans who flock to see ABBA Voyage, a digital avatar concert, chase the feeling of a live ABBA performance. They’re finding it, and they’re building meaningful connections, too.Alyssa Michaud, Assistant Professor of Music, Ambrose UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2024312023-06-01T20:00:42Z2023-06-01T20:00:42ZHolograms and AI can bring performers back from the dead – but will the fans keep buying it?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529216/original/file-20230531-23-ls23s6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=13%2C6%2C4548%2C3030&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A hologram of Buddy Holly projected on stage at Madrid's Teatro La Estación in 2021.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Fans can mourn the passing of music legends for years, the hits echoing long after the original voice is silenced. Little wonder, then, that recent advances in holographic technology and artificial intelligence have found a ready market for performances from beyond the grave.</p>
<p>But this ability to resurrect deceased artists in spectral form raises fascinating questions about the ethics, artistry and the economic implications of these modern revival shows.</p>
<p>Since a holographic Tupac Shakur <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGbrFmPBV0Y">headlined at Coachella</a> in 2012, there have been similar tributes to <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-live-reviews/frank-zappa-hologram-tour-review-827195/">Frank Zappa</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/WRauG4RxNMI">Roy Orbison</a>. Posthumous tours have also been staged or proposed for Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Ronnie James Dio.</p>
<p>But it’s the holographic performance by a still-living act that stands as the landmark case. ABBA, the Swedish pop sensation that ruled the charts during the 1970s and 1980s, launched their ABBA Voyage <a href="https://abbavoyage.com/">virtual reunion tour</a> in 2021, describing the holographic versions of themselves as “ABBAtars”.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03007766.2023.2208048">recent study</a> of the “tour” found a mixture of fan reactions, from some who found it emotionally satisfying to others who questioned its authenticity. The results suggest we need to know more about the enormous cultural implications of these holographic experiences.</p>
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<h2>Virtual success</h2>
<p>While the music industry routinely uses the term “hologram” to describe such shows, it’s not strictly accurate. A true hologram is a 3D object produced by the intersection of light and matter, designed to be observed from all perspectives. </p>
<p>With the exception of ABBA’s recently developed holographic concert, today’s holograms are more akin to digital videos, where images are <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90365452/hologram-concert-revolution-like-it-or-not-meet-company-touring-whitney-houston-buddy-holly">projected onto a translucent screen</a> in front of real musicians, with the virtual artist seeming to interact with the band and audience. It’s similar to the theatrical optical illusion known as “<a href="https://www.theatrecrafts.com/pages/home/glossary-of-technical-theatre-terms/more-about-peppers-ghost/">Pepper’s Ghost</a>” used by 19th-century magicians.</p>
<p>Creating a convincing audience experience is a challenge, however, as fans can be cynical about such events, and the technology <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2022/10/abba-voyage-london-holograms.html">doesn’t translate well</a> to YouTube or in photographs. Some find these shows feel too much like watching a movie.</p>
<p>Still, the demand and enthusiasm for virtual concerts is rising steadily, with impressive crowd turnouts and fans paying as much as US$125 for a ticket. The Roy Orbison hologram tour sold an average of 1,800 seats per show. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/abba-and-tupac-in-the-metaverse-how-digital-avatars-could-be-the-bankable-future-of-band-touring-181222">Abba and Tupac in the metaverse: how digital avatars could be the bankable future of band touring</a>
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<h2>‘Ghost slavery’</h2>
<p>Our ABBA Voyage study confirmed the reasons for this popularity. After analysing upwards of 34,000 online comments discussing the virtual concert, we found audience members reported positive responses overall. </p>
<p>People mainly appreciated the opportunity to witness the legendary band “perform” once more. Two comments are indicative of the general feeling: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>I don’t care if they’re avatars. Nobody expected ABBA to ever reunite in any way, shape, or form, so this is amazing! </p>
<p>It would be so wonderful to see them as I remember them and transport myself back to my childhood. It’s like the closest thing to time travel. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Fans also appreciated the technical wizardry responsible for recreating the band in its 1979 prime:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I find the fact they use the Abbatars instead of themselves on stage simply an amazing idea. It keeps us feeling young and them timeless.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Not everyone was emotionally moved, though, with some questioning the authenticity of the shows. This echoed previous criticism of holographic shows as lacking the essential “live” element of performance, and also being exploitative – what <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jun/01/pop-holograms-miley-cyrus-black-mirror-identity-crisis">one critic called</a> “ghost slavery”.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529218/original/file-20230531-25-kt9zyz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529218/original/file-20230531-25-kt9zyz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529218/original/file-20230531-25-kt9zyz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529218/original/file-20230531-25-kt9zyz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529218/original/file-20230531-25-kt9zyz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529218/original/file-20230531-25-kt9zyz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529218/original/file-20230531-25-kt9zyz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Technology has evolved since a ‘hologram’ of rapper Tupac Shakur ‘performed’ at Coachella in 2012.</span>
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<h2>Replacing the irreplaceable</h2>
<p>Recreating an artist is one thing, but capturing their spirit, charisma and spontaneous performance style is where motion capture and AI technologies are starting to make a real difference.</p>
<p>The process involves a detailed scan of the artist to create a 3D digital model which AI then refines. Next, movements are digitised through motion capture and transferred onto the model (again using AI), recreating an artist’s distinctive performance. AI is also used to analyse vast recording archives to mimic the artist’s voice. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/holographic-history-is-making-night-at-the-museum-a-reality-153256">Holographic history is making 'Night at the Museum' a reality</a>
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<p>For all that, AI’s ability to capture the spontaneity and charisma of live performances remains limited. The future of holographic concerts, then, will likely depend on continued technological progress, shifting audience reactions, and careful navigation of the ethical issues raised. </p>
<p>Future applications could also extend beyond music to educational displays of historical figures. Given the success of ABBA and their Voyage experience, it might even expand the touring capacity of living artists.</p>
<p>All this requires a delicate equilibrium: honouring the artist’s legacy, acknowledging fans’ emotions, and providing an experience that genuinely transcends present limitations. Replacing the irreplaceable may be possible at some level, but ultimately the audience will decide.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202431/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A study of fan reactions to ABBA’s virtual Voyage tour highlights the ethical questions being raised by advances in holographic technology.Justin Matthews, Senior Lecturer in Digital Media and Popular Culture Researcher, Auckland University of TechnologyAngelique Nairn, Associate professor, Auckland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1812222022-04-14T13:13:08Z2022-04-14T13:13:08ZAbba and Tupac in the metaverse: how digital avatars could be the bankable future of band touring<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457944/original/file-20220413-22-y990i8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=3%2C0%2C1132%2C523&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABBA_Voyage#/media/File:Abba_at_the_West_Ham_United_Olympic_Stadium.jpg">Matt Brown/Wikipedia</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It was a technological feat that made history, wowed audiences and brought a dead rapper back to life. In April 2012 at the Coachella festival in California, <a href="https://www.biography.com/musician/tupac-shakur">Tupac Shakur</a> took to the stage with Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre. He’d been dead for 16 years, killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas.</p>
<p>But this was Tupac <a href="https://www.livescience.com/34652-hologram.html">the hologram</a>, foul-mouthed and lifelike, performing before a “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/crime/2012/04/18/rapper-tupac-shakurs-digital-resurrection-gets-mixed-reviews/">shocked and then amazed</a>” crowd.</p>
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<p>Since humans first delighted in the sound of music, advancements in technology have managed to make musical expression immortal. Throughout history, innovators have strived to create original, accessible and eternal performances.</p>
<p>As engineering knowledge developed, <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/inventing-musical-instruments-1992156">musical instrument design advanced</a>. Many classical composers introduced <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/instrumentation-music/The-Classical-period">pioneering instrumentations</a> into their scores, adding depth and colour that broadened the listening experience.</p>
<p>Accurate <a href="https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/how-music-notation-began/">systems for notation</a> matured, offering music an essence of immortality through printed manuscript. In 1853 Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville’s <a href="http://www.firstsounds.org/research/scott.php">phonautograph</a> pioneered an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dbyIDTmHSM">audio recording technique</a>.</p>
<p>In 1912 WC Handy composed <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20769518">Memphis Blues</a>, a song that took the US by storm and influenced the development of popular music. Published on paper, it was wildly popular in the dance halls and soon every band in America was asked to play it. This public demand was recognised by an <a href="https://allabouttherock.co.uk/impact-technology-music-industry/">fledgling recording industry</a>, which soon flourished. </p>
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<h2>Technology = creativity</h2>
<p>A breakthrough in the quality of music capture came with the advent of <a href="https://hub.yamaha.com/audio/a-history/the-history-of-hi-fi/">hi-fi and stereo</a> introduced by Yamaha. Those who embraced the technology artistically could transport a lifelike performance experience into the homes of the masses. One of the biggest bands of the 1970s and 1980s, <a href="https://abbasite.com/story/">Swedish supergroup Abba</a>, embraced this technology pioneering recording techniques, which is still used as standard today.</p>
<p>Behind this technology was the creative genius that produced millions of record sales and performances dominating the 1970s and beyond. After the apparent demise of the group, Benny and Björn expanded into the theatrical genre, composing musicals. Along with their interest in emerging technology, this sowed the seeds to recapture and reinvent the Abba machine 40 years later.</p>
<p>May 2022 sees the latest technological advances in musical immortality when Abba return to the live stage after a 40-year absence. But this time they return as humanoids – the digital holgram “twins” of the original global phenomenon.</p>
<p>George Lucas’s <a href="https://www.ilm.com/about-us/">Industrial Light and Magic</a> has <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/music/dancing-screens-how-abba-struck-gold-with-the-digital-generation/ar-AAO4s5n">created holographic lookalikes</a> that interact with a live band in a specially designed purpose-built theatre in east London. Benny, Björn, Frida and Agnetha have provided the pre-recorded vocals and motion-captured movement which will then be reproduced by the digital avatars. </p>
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<p>The dopplegangers are more youthful in their appearance – around their 30s, when they were at the peak of their fame – raising an interesting conundrum concerning Abba’s human mortality against their new immortality in the metaverse.</p>
<p>Abba’s music is undoubtedly timeless; the simple tunes with incredibly complicated structures appeal to millions. The “Abbatars” are a reinvention for a new audience, but will they continue beyond the lives of their originals, with new creators pulling the strings?</p>
<p>Besides Abba and Tupac, there are other instances where “digital twinning” has been identified as a key money-making strategy. The digital band <a href="https://gorillaz.fandom.com/wiki/Gorillaz">Gorillaz’</a> 2006 <a href="https://youtu.be/h7OF3ADL2QU">Grammy performance</a> blended flawlessly with Madonna’s. And Richard Burton’s hologram <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M5vCEjEC9s">performed</a> on a global tour of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-War-of-the-Worlds-novel-by-Wells">War of the Worlds</a> in another 2006 performance. </p>
<h2>Music in the metaverse</h2>
<p>Customising 3D avatars has become a unique way for artists to create virtual brands across several digital platforms. They can connect virtually with fans and increase loyalty and engagement, while fans can interact, express themselves and experience new things.</p>
<p>This is now achievable using AI software to make holograms, as researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) demonstrated <a href="https://www.photonics.com/Articles/AI_Aids_in_Real-Time_Generation_of_3D_Holograms/a66785#:%7E:text=A%2520method%2520for%2520generating%2520hologram,which%2520generates%2520holograms%2520almost%2520instantly">in an experiment</a> that created holograms fairly instantaneously.</p>
<p><a href="https://venturebeat.com/2022/01/24/unity-acquires-ziva-dynamics-and-its-character-tech/">Ziva Dynamics</a> a pioneer in simulation and real-time character creation, employs synthetic AI-powered avatars to create autonomous and complex movement simulations based on real muscle, fat, soft tissue and skin contact.</p>
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<p>In April 2021, in a project called <a href="https://mustangnews.net/the-lost-tapes-of-the-27-club-a-project-on-what-couldve-been/">Lost Tapes Of The 27 Club</a>, Google’s <a href="https://magenta.tensorflow.org/">Magenta AI</a> was even used to compose songs in the styles of musicians who notoriously died at the age of 27, including Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Amy Winehouse. </p>
<p>These technologies have the potential to create realistic synthetic and AI holographic representations of departed artists, allowing them to continue creating, influencing and performing for future audiences. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.epicgames.com/site/en-US/home">Epic Games</a>, creators of the phenomenally successful Fortnite, <a href="https://www.metapunk.co.uk/metablog/7-2021-digital-twins-artificial-intelligence-and-the-metaverse">predicts that</a> digital twins will combine with <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/93bmyv/what-is-the-metaverse-internet-technology-vr">the metaverse</a>, an emerging network of fully immersive digital worlds.</p>
<h2>Disrupting the music business</h2>
<p>Whereas live tours are time-intensive and costly for new artists, a low-cost metaverse “tour” might be a new way for music lovers to see live performances. Virtual performances by <a href="https://youtu.be/UAhGvhvcoyY">Justin Bieber</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/OB57zA5MB7o">DeadMau5</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/uViueiV8fME">The Weeknd</a> have already become popular recently. </p>
<p>In this emerging branch of the music industry, record labels and marketing firms could be replaced by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyhackl/2021/06/01/what-are-daos-and-why-you-should-pay-attention/">decentralised autonomous organisations</a> (DAOs). DAOs are online organisations that operate like cooperatives, making all decisions jointly. </p>
<p>DAOs are already <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2021/10/21/a-dao-paid-4m-for-a-wu-tang-clan-cd-what-the-heck-is-a-dao/">disrupting the music business</a> – along with NFTs (non-fungible tokens), which are a way of transferring property between people online. In October 2021, PleasrDAO – a collective of <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/decentralized-finance-defi-5113835#:%7E:text=Decentralized%20finance%20(DeFi)%20is%20an,financial%20products%2C%20and%20financial%20services.">decentralised finance</a> (DeFi) leaders, early NFT collectors and digital artists – paid US$4 million (£3 million) for <a href="https://g.co/kgs/uWh4fe">Once Upon a Time in Shaolin</a> an album by New York hip-hop legends Wu-Tang Clan.</p>
<p>While the release of the album predates the rise of NFTs, PleasrDAO now owns the rights and has imposed strict restrictions on duplication, distribution or public exhibition. A music-focused DAO like Pleasr may acquire bulk concert tickets, finance and organise events and manage fan-owned record labels and marketing agencies to secure investable commodities like first-edition LPs, artwork and instruments. This has the potential to benefit fans, new music genres and artists alike. </p>
<p>This creates a new, decentralised route to the market for artists free of corporate interests or interests of individual producers, developing a fairer landscape for the future. With digital avatars likely to be at the centre of this new vanguard, it will be fascinating to see how it develops in the months and years to come – and whether it will be enough for music audiences.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181222/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Creating holographic ‘digital twins’ will significantly reduce the stress, cost and logistical issues of touring – and means artists can live forever onstage.Theo Tzanidis, Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing, University of the West of ScotlandStephen Langston, Programme Leader for Performance, University of the West of ScotlandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1674012021-09-06T15:38:08Z2021-09-06T15:38:08ZAbba: who actually likes them?<p>It may have been almost 40 years since their last single, but Abba are now back in the charts with two new songs – <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAzEY1MfXrQ">I Still Have Faith in You</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWGWFa3jznI">Don’t Shut Me Down</a>. The new songs form part of a ten-track album that will be released in November. </p>
<p>The band went on what they called a “short break” at the end of 1982. But despite the amount of time it has taken the group to release new songs, Abba are more popular than ever, largely due to the success of the compilation Abba Gold (1992) and the Mamma Mia! films (2008, 2018). The numbers speak for themselves – Abba have sold around <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58339627">400 million records worldwide</a>, with Abba Gold spending more time in the <a href="https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/abba-gold-becomes-first-album-to-reach-1000-weeks-on-the-official-albums-chart__33502/">top 100 chart than any other album</a>. So what’s behind Abba’s staying power?</p>
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<p><a href="https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/shanika-ranasinghe(ffc2c3f3-5737-41c1-85d0-8ae3b9b7e993).html">My ongoing PhD research</a> looks at Abba fandom in the 21st-century, specifically Abba’s long-term fans. I look beyond typical media or even academic portrayals that present them as a <a href="https://sk.sagepub.com/books/the-time-of-the-tribes">monolithic tribe</a>, or pathologise them as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00332747.1956.11023049">obsessive, crazy youths</a>. I focus on the differing yet bonded make-up of Abba fans and explore how their fandom can be understood as a mutually affectionate relationship between band and fan.</p>
<p>Indeed, Abba’s <a href="https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/files/34763872/British_Forum_for_Ethnomusicology_annual_conference_paper_ABBA_deen_Aberdeen_2019.pdf">most devoted fans</a> have helped them remain in the public consciousness, sometimes, under difficult circumstances – and I believe Abba’s “comeback” would not have been possible without their support.</p>
<h2>Oldies, goldies and mouldies</h2>
<p>One of the complexities of <a href="https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/files/34763845/Elvis_Lives_in_Amsterdam_paper_Amsterdam_2018.pdf">Abba fandom</a> is its different waves. There are the long-standing fans from the 1970s and early 1980s – often referred to as the “Oldies” within fan circles – who knew and loved Abba during their original active period (1972-1982). Then more recently, Abba Gold and the Mamma Mia! franchise introduced younger generations – sometimes referred to as “Goldies” and “Mouldies” – to Abba’s music. </p>
<p>Goldies and Mouldies have found their own ways of expressing Abba fandom. Abba’s popularity on social media platforms is testament to this – the videos on their official TikTok page already had almost <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58433351">30 million views in five days</a>.</p>
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<p>Oldies have have had a rather different journey to today’s younger fans. The 1980s are often called the <a href="https://www.gp.se/kultur/abba-fansen-blir-bara-fler-1.7424571">“dark days”</a> of Abba fandom. As the decade changed, so too did popular music tastes, and Abba struggled to do as well as they had done previously.</p>
<p>As the band fell from public favour, many Oldies were <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/06/readers-respond-to-abba-return">bullied</a>, sometimes even beaten up. It was no longer socially acceptable to be an Abba fan. Despite these pressures, the Oldies remained extremely loyal, waiting patiently for new music for years. </p>
<p>Many of them supported the individual band members’ new music, as well as buying Abba re-releases and compilation albums. In 1986, even as many Abba fan clubs began disbanding, two Dutch fans started a new one. This later became the <a href="https://www.abbafanclub.nl/">Official International Abba Fan Club</a>, which still exists today. </p>
<p>This fan club publishes four magazines a year and holds an annual Abba Day (outside of pandemic times). Fans from across the world gather on Abba Day to share friendship and the latest Abba news, culminating in a four-hour Abba disco.</p>
<h2>New songs</h2>
<p>It’s easy to assume the Oldies would be thrilled by the recent announcement of two new Abba songs. But the reality is more complex. </p>
<p>Most fans <a href="https://twitter.com/edwardrussell/status/1433492437490601986?s=20">rejoiced</a> on social media, posting about their excitement and delight. Yet for some Oldies, Abba’s 2018 announcement that new music would be on the way felt like too little, too late. </p>
<p>One fan who I worked with as part of my project, wrote at the time on Facebook: “We’ve been told so many times this would NEVER happen, and fans have died waiting for it to happen … I should feel very excited by this but I’m not.”</p>
<p>This disappointment is understandable if you think about fandom as a <a href="https://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/513/416">reciprocal relationship</a>. Oldies kept on giving to Abba emotionally and financially over several decades. Such investment is not to be underestimated: one fan estimates he has spent over £50,000 on <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9954635/ABBA-superfan-reveals-spent-50-000-band-memorabilia.html">Abba-related purchases</a>. Yet during this time, Oldies were not receiving new music from Abba. Some Oldies felt they had given a lot to Abba over the years, but not received anything much in return during their hiatus.</p>
<p>All Abba fans, but particularly the Oldies drank from an empty cup for decades. Finally, loyalty and hopes have been rewarded: the band’s promise of “two new songs” became a whole album, to be followed by a virtual “Abba Voyage” <a href="https://abbavoyage.com/">show in London</a> in spring 2022. </p>
<p>Most fan reaction has been positive so far. People have different opinions as to how “Abba-Esque” these new songs are, but overall Abba fans are effectively singing “Thank You for the Music” back to the band now, as they eagerly listen to new Abba songs for the first time since 1982.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167401/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shanika Ranasinghe is a member of the Official International ABBA Fan Club </span></em></p>Abba’s most devoted fans have helped them remain in the public consciousness. Sometimes, under difficult circumstances.Shanika Ranasinghe, Postgraduate Researcher in the Department of Music, Royal Holloway University of LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1003912018-07-24T08:19:59Z2018-07-24T08:19:59ZMamma Mia! Here come the tourists again<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228840/original/file-20180723-189323-1az5gml.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Universal Pictures</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Abba-inspired sequel of Mamma Mia is filling cinemas around the world. But the film’s location – the small Croatian island of Vis – should now also expect to attract high numbers of visitors. The inevitable increase in inbound tourists visiting the film’s coastal backdrop will become the latest example of <a href="http://www.multilingual-matters.com/display.asp?K=9781845415839">film-induced tourism</a> – a phenomenon which describes the way people flock to visit film and television locations.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/20/mamma-mia-tourists-croatia-vis-abba-film">Srećko Horvat</a>, a Croatian philosopher, the remote island – which represents the imaginary island of Kalokairi in the film – is now preparing to experience a similar fate to the location of the original film: the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/dec/20/mamma-mia-greek-island-money">Greek island of Skopelo</a>. </p>
<p>In 2008, the “Mamma Mia effect” was a phrase coined to describe the way the original <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?view2=worldwide&yr=2008&p=.htm">£460m-earning</a> movie triggered unprecedented demand for hotel accommodation on the tiny Aegean island and sent prices in local bars and restaurants soaring. Despite concerns about the negative impact of these tourism “invasions” and the risk of “<a href="https://theconversation.com/overtourism-a-growing-global-problem-100029">overtourism</a>”, it has been <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/film/were-sad-mamma-mia-didnt-12937225">reported</a> that some of the Greek islanders have expressed upset about the decision to film the sequel elsewhere. If Skopelos can no longer claim to be <em>the</em> Mamma Mia island, the revenue from film tourists might now be enjoyed by the Croatian island instead.</p>
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<h2>Must-see locations</h2>
<p>You don’t have to look far to find adverts enticing film lovers to visit the locations of movies. For example, <a href="https://www.roughguides.com/gallery/40-film-locations-around-the-world/">Rough Guide</a> provides 40 “must-see” film locations around the world. Destination marketing organisations also use them to promote their visitor offer – Visit Wales’s <a href="http://www.visitwales.com/holidays-breaks/days-out/tv-film-locations-uk">“Light, Camera, Action” campaign</a> aims to attract people to see where the likes of Torchwood and Robin Hood were made. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.tourismnewzealand.com/markets-stats/sectors/film-tourism/">Tourism New Zealand’s</a> campaign has successfully piggybacked off the popularity of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Hobbit movies.</p>
<p>The potential income from film-induced tourism can be significant. For example, the blockbusters Rob Roy and Braveheart generated an additional tourism income of more than £15m for Scotland. In fact, more than 500,000 American Braveheart <a href="http://www.scottish-tourist.com/braveheart/">fans travelled to Scotland</a> – despite the fact the movie was made in Ireland.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228843/original/file-20180723-189332-1a6f7xj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228843/original/file-20180723-189332-1a6f7xj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228843/original/file-20180723-189332-1a6f7xj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228843/original/file-20180723-189332-1a6f7xj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228843/original/file-20180723-189332-1a6f7xj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228843/original/file-20180723-189332-1a6f7xj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228843/original/file-20180723-189332-1a6f7xj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The location of Hobbiton, as used in the Lord of the Rings films, near Matamata, New Zealand.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rob Chandler via Flickr</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Lord of the Rings trilogy prompted a 50% increase in tourist arrivals to New Zealand – and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolpinchefsky/2012/12/14/the-impact-economic-and-otherwise-of-lord-of-the-ringsthe-hobbit-on-new-zealand/">Forbes estimated</a> income of NZD$33m (£17m) a year just from these visitors. Total revenue from film production in New Zealand totalled $3.155 billion in 2014. Back in 1991, the movie Thelma and Louise – which featured Canyonlands and the Arches National Park in Utah – led to a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0261517795001115">visitor increase of 22.6%</a> with an additional increase of 16.6% the following year. </p>
<h2>Blessing and curse</h2>
<p>Tourism is by no means new to Croatia. It is one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations, with <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat">86.1m overnight stays in 2017</a> – up 10.6% since 2016. The contribution of tourism to its GDP is set to rise to <a href="https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic-impact-research/countries-2017/croatia2017.pdf">31.5% by 2027</a>. But the additional Mamma Mia effect may fuel concerns that the country is becoming over-reliant on tourism, which might be detrimental to Croatia’s <a href="http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatia-risks-by-tying-to-booming-tourism-01-25-2018">long-term economic growth</a>. This scenario highlights the “double-edged” nature of tourism – the rush to see the film set may generate welcome income, but it can be both a <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-stop-city-breaks-killing-our-cities-79132">blessing and a curse</a>.</p>
<p>Film-induced tourism can raise public awareness of important places and issues – for example, <a href="https://www.gadventures.com/blog/dian-fossey-legacy-travel/">the plight of gorillas in Rwanda</a> following the film Gorillas in the Mist – improve a destination’s image and boost local employment. But it also poses a challenge to destinations without the infrastructure to cope with sudden spikes in visitor numbers. This increase in tourism can lead to overcrowding, congestion, social problems and higher property values which effectively price locals out. </p>
<p>The negative impact of film-induced tourism is illustrated well by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/feb/14/thailand-maya-bay-the-beach-movie-close-to-tourists-leonardo-dicaprio">Maya Island in Thailand</a> – the location for the film The Beach in 2000. The film prompted a sudden 22% spike in young people visiting the island. But growing concerns about environmental damage have led to a recent decision to <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/maya-bay-thailand-closed-local-authorities-the-beach-film-location-excessive-tourism-a8208036.html">close the beach</a>. With 5,000 tourists arriving by boat every day, excessive pressure has been placed on its ecosystems, damaging coral reefs and habitats. </p>
<p>Similarly, in Scotland, the locations of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and Transformers: The Last Knight have prompted many tourists to visit the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-40874488">Isle of Skye</a>. This surge of tourists is placing unwelcome pressure on an infrastructure unable to cope with high visitor numbers.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228852/original/file-20180723-189332-rduuzk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228852/original/file-20180723-189332-rduuzk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228852/original/file-20180723-189332-rduuzk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228852/original/file-20180723-189332-rduuzk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228852/original/file-20180723-189332-rduuzk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228852/original/file-20180723-189332-rduuzk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/228852/original/file-20180723-189332-rduuzk.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Maya Island, Thailand: a travel destination made popular by the film, The Beach, is set to close to tourists.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Playa_Maya,_Ko_Phi_Phi,_Tailandia,_2013-08-19,_DD_04.JPG">Diego Delso via Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The film and tourism industries have much in common. But although <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237807231_Promoting_Destinations_via_Film_Tourism_An_Empirical_Identification_of_Supporting_Marketing_Initiatives">joint marketing campaigns</a> between the tourism and film industries make sense, those behind them must take joint responsibility for addressing the potential impact. It is time for these two industries to work together and address how they can bring longer-term social, cultural and economic benefits and sustainable prosperity to destinations.</p>
<p>One opportunity to mitigate the impact of film-tourism on fragile locations may lie in sustainable certifications such as the “<a href="http://wearealbert.org/">We are Albert</a>” project. This UK-based project provides the film and TV industries with expertise and opportunities to help ensure their productions are made in a way that benefits individuals, industry organisations, film locations and the planet. The online scheme of rewarding film and television teams for implementing sustainable and responsible production techniques is a model of good practice. In seeking a sensitive approach to filming on location, such initiatives might go some way towards addressing the Mamma Mia effect. </p>
<p>Collaborative working across these two industries might help both industries show they are more than “Money, Money, Money”. Rather, pursuing a strategy which is more about “Knowing me, Knowing you” at a community and environmental level might help keep tourists, the industry, locals and the environment happy.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100391/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sally Everett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The Croatian island of Vis is gearing up for a massive influx of tourists wanting to see where the Abba-inspired movie sequel was filmed.Sally Everett, Deputy Dean (Business School), Anglia Ruskin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.