Jovanotti: Stadiums are the worst place for music, numbers come after art

Italian artist Jovanotti has voiced strong criticism regarding the current trend of musicians prioritizing stadium performances, suggesting it compromises the integrity of live music. Speaking backstage at his Jova Summer Party in Olbia, he described stadiums as "the worst environment" for a live show, where "you can't hear shit, you can't see shit." He contrasted the stadium experience with the intimacy needed to truly connect with music.

“

Today making the stadium has become the only goal for an artist. But it's a bit detrimental to music, because from a musical point of view the stadium is the worst environment to see a live show: you can't hear shit, you can't see shit.

Jovanotti argued that while stadiums offer a "collective mass experience" that is increasingly rare, focusing solely on them risks the closure of smaller clubs essential for live music's development. "If music becomes only that, it's detrimental because then the clubs where live music is made close down," he stated. He believes that to fall in love with music, one needs to feel it, see it, and even smell it – elements often lost in large venues.

“

To fall in love with music you need to hear it, see it, smell it. You go to the stadium to have a collective mass experience that the world no longer offers you, because it is the only great liturgy that has somehow remained collective.

He stressed that the artistic aspect and the live performance should be the primary focus, not just commercial success. "Today it seems the most important data has become numbers, figures, records, who sells the most tickets. Numbers are part of this business, but they come later. First, there is music, there is what happens on stage, there is the artistic part, which is the reason why we are there," Jovanotti explained.

“

But if music becomes only that, it's detrimental because then the clubs where live music is made close down. And it's a shame.

As he approaches his 60th birthday, Jovanotti continues to experiment with new formats, following his previous Jova Beach Party events. His current "L'Arca di Lorè" tour will take him through outdoor venues in southern Italy, traveling by bicycle between locations. Despite the physical demands, he sees it as a personal challenge and a way to connect with his audience and the environment, emphasizing his commitment to exploring new artistic avenues.

“

Today it seems the most important data has become numbers, figures, records, who sells the most tickets. Numbers are part of this business, but they come later. First, there is music, there is what happens on stage, there is the artistic part, which is the reason why we are there.