encore culture
/ˈɒŋkɔːr ˈkʌltʃər/
CommonThe shared expectation that fans will chant loudly after a setlist ends until the artist comes back out to perform additional songs.
Some fans and artists have pushed back on this ritual as performative. A growing minority prefer artists who either genuinely end the show or announce clearly that there is no encore, rather than staging a fake goodbye.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | honestly tired of encore culture. just announce the full setlist and play it | The person finds the pretend-ending ritual unnecessary. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | they walked off stage and came back in 45 seconds. encore culture is peak theater | The encore felt completely staged because the return was nearly instant. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 03 | the crowd wasn't even sure if encore culture was happening or if they actually left | It was unclear whether the artist would return. | reddit, 2024 |
| 04 | she straight up announced no encore tonight and just played everything. refreshing honestly | The artist skipped the ritual and played the full show without theatrics. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- Discussing the ritual of fans demanding an encore after the main set ends.
- Criticizing or defending the tradition of staged fake goodbyes at concerts.
- Describing the expectation fans have around encore moments.
Do not use it when
- You mean a specific encore song, not the broader cultural ritual.
Origin and context
Encore culture as a concept predates the internet, rooted in classical and rock concert traditions. The critical discourse around it as a 'culture' worth questioning grew noticeably online from the 2020s, particularly as artists began openly opting out.
- First seen
- pre-2000s
- Confidence
- medium
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Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/encore-cultureUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0