Harry Styles fans have been left questioning the artwork on one of his New York concert tickets after an image showing a flying car near the Empire State Building sparked an uncomfortable comparison to 9/11.
The ticket artwork features what appears to be a yellow car flying through the sky, with the famous New York landmark visible behind it. The image was shared online just days before the 25th anniversary of the 11 September (9/11) attacks, prompting a wave of criticism.
The ticket was for Styles' 9 September show at Madison Square Garden, meaning the artwork appeared during a particularly sensitive week in New York. While the design does not show the World Trade Center or depict the attacks, some fans felt the combination of a flying vehicle, the New York skyline and the timing was difficult to ignore.
TONIGHTS TICKET pic.twitter.com/6RkS6hkOnY
— cove 💋🪩 (@familyshowstyle) September 9, 2026
Ticket Artwork Raises Eyebrows
The controversy began after a fan posted an image of the concert ticket online. The artwork shows a yellow vehicle appearing to fly above New York, with the Empire State Building standing prominently in the background.
That combination quickly caught people's attention. Social media users began discussing how the image could be interpreted given its timing.
One fan called the decision 'insane', while another described it as 'a little bold' considering it was 9/11 week in New York. Someone else simply questioned who had approved the artwork.
Nevertheless, there has been no public confirmation that the design was intended as a reference to the 9/11 attacks. The criticism centres on the resemblance some fans saw and the timing of the ticket's use.
As 9/11 Anniversary Approaches
The reaction comes as New York prepares to mark 25 years since the 11 September 2001 attacks. Nearly 3,000 people were killed, and the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan was destroyed.
The anniversary is particularly significant this year. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is holding its annual commemoration, where victims' names will be read aloud as part of the remembrance ceremony. The museum has described 2026 as an opportunity to honour the lives lost while passing the history of 9/11 on to generations too young to remember the day themselves.
Uh…no. Sorry. Nothing funny about 9/11. Not even 25 years later on some Harry Styles ticket artwork that was prob never meant to be taken as a reference and was poorly timed to be used is funny if people immediately link it to that event.
— Heather 💭 Dreaming wide awake (@4n6_chemist) September 10, 2026
Harry Styles's New York Residency
The ticket controversy comes in the middle of a huge New York run for Styles. The singer is performing 30 shows at Madison Square Garden between 26 August and 31 October as part of his Together, Together tour. The residency represents his only US dates in 2026 and the largest number of shows at any single venue on the tour.
The 9 September performance was the seventh show of the run. Styles is using the run to support his fourth studio album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, which was released earlier this year.
The singer's return to Madison Square Garden has been a major moment for fans, particularly after his previous Love On Tour shows at the venue.
Styles has also confirmed that Together, Together will continue into 2027, with the final cities of the tour set to be announced. In a message to fans, the singer said he initially found adding 2027 dates 'daunting' and admitted he does not know what comes next for him after the tour.
His comments have sparked speculation about his future in music, though he has given no indication that he plans to retire.
