How can major events affect the well-being and behavior of an entire city? Professor Micael Dahlen at the Center for Wellbeing, Welfare, and Happiness, at the Stockholm School of Econmics, in collaboration with Stockholm Business Region, used Taylor Swift's three concerts in Stockholm as a natural experiment.

"This was a fantastic and unique opportunity to test what we call 'Happyflation' – how happiness and wellbeing can increase collectively and how people's joy spreads to others in multiple steps. Few people can draw as large crowds as Taylor Swift," says Micael Dahlen.

During the weekend of May 17–19, 2024, Taylor Swift played three concerts in Stockholm, Sweden. These concerts broke one attendance record after the other at Friends/Strawberry Arena, with 60,243 people attending the final concert and a total of 178,679 visitors, setting a new record for an individual artist. The study measured the levels of wellbeing for Stockholmers and the nation as a whole one month before and after the concerts to establish a baseline, as well as one week before and after the concerts in Stockholm.

Increased happiness, community, and helpfulness

The study showed that Stockholmers not only felt happier just before and after the concerts, but they also experienced a greater sense of community, and an increased willingness to help others. The highest levels were recorded among those who attended one of the concerts or knew someone who did, but the levels increased even for those who did not attend.

"We call it Happyflation – people's joy and happiness can spread to others in multiple steps. The concerts drew hundreds of thousands of happy concertgoers who shared their happiness with Stockholmers, who in turn passed it on to others. It can also enhance the feeling of community to be in the same city as a major positive event that is widely recognized even beyond the city," says Micael Dahlen.

The effect of the concerts lasted for at least a week before and after the event itself, which is remarkable on this scale. After about a month, the effect diminished, which is expected and consistent with previous research. Similar effects have previously been observed at major sporting events, such as the Olympics and soccer championships, but this is the first study to examine the effects of a large cultural event.

This knowledge is useful in showing how we can create more happiness, a sense of community, and positive behaviors together. It can also be applied in smaller cities, where visits from world-famous artists are unlikely, by focusing on positive events that bring people together in various ways.

For more information, please contact:

Micael Dahlen
Director, Center for Wellbeing, Welfare and Happiness
Email: micael.dahlen@hhs.se

Ylva Mossing
Content and Media Relations Manager
Email:ylva.mossing@hhs.se
Phone: +46 730 97 26 16

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