Morrissey Cancels Stockholm Show, Cites Exhausted Band and Lack of ‘Industry Support’
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Tour Halted by Exhaustion
Morrissey, the former lead singer of The Smiths, has called off his upcoming Stockholm concert due to what he described as severe exhaustion among his band and crew. The 66-year-old artist is currently touring the UK and Europe and was supposed to perform at Stockholm’s Hovet Arena on June 23.
Sharing the news through his official site, Morrissey Central, he wrote, “The pain at not reaching Stockholm this week is horrific for the band and crew. We dream of Stockholm, Reykjavik, Trondheim, Helsinki, Aarhus … but there is no financial support from imaginary record labels to get us to such places.”
Six Countries, No Support
Morrissey explained that the group had just visited six countries in a short span, and the constant traveling has drained everyone. “We are travel-weary beyond belief,” he said. “We pray to God that someone, somewhere can help us reach Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Denmark … where we have thousands upon thousands of friends, yet absolutely zero music industry support.”
There are currently no other shows scheduled in Scandinavia. Fans who bought tickets for the canceled show were told, “Due to exhaustion among the band and crew, the Morrissey headline engagement at Hovet has been cancelled. Refunds will be available at the point of purchase.”
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Frustration with the Music Industry
In his statement, Morrissey also shared his ongoing struggle with the music business. He pointed out that despite strong ticket sales, there’s little interest from labels or radio. “No label will release our music, no radio will play our music … and yet our ticket sales are sensational,” he said. “What does this tell us about the state of Art in 2025?”
He ended the post with, “The wagon rolls on to Berlin, 27 June. With the grace of God we will all gather. I love all of you with whatever is left of my doomed heart.”
Unreleased Album and Industry Tensions
Morrissey’s frustration partly comes from his unreleased album Bonfire of Teenagers. The project was recorded between 2020 and 2021 and was originally expected to come out in 2023 under Capitol Records. However, after a falling out with the label in 2022, the album remains unreleased.
“There is no arts media anymore in England,” Morrissey said, blaming what he calls “idiot culture.” He believes that “Genuine artists in England are now being held hostage by people who object to any manner of alternative opinion.”
The Smiths and Longstanding Issues
Morrissey’s issues with the industry go back decades. While with The Smiths — alongside Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke, and Mike Joyce — he often voiced frustration over their label, Rough Trade. He complained the label didn’t treat them like stars and called their promotional style “defeatism.”
As the band gained popularity, they became more frustrated by their contract, which required more albums. The Smiths eventually broke up in 1987, as inner tensions grew too strong to continue.
