People Are Grieving ‘The End Of Concerts’ As Tickets Become Next To Impossible To Get
Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock What was once a rite of passage in the music world has now become a ritual of frustration. For most, attending a concert feels less like simply buying a ticket and more like winning the lottery.
As tickets disappear in seconds and prices go through the roof, many believe that the era of ordinary concert-going is coming to an unfortunate end. The grief is real, with both fans and artists protesting for change.
Concert tickets are becoming more expensive and harder to get, and people aren't happy about it.
Gone are the days of getting reasonably priced tickets to see your favorite artists perform live. Now, you're forced to enter the so-called "Ticketmaster war" and just hope you'll emerge victorious (though it's fairly unlikely). While it's not a war in a literal sense, this term is often used to describe the chaotic, high-stress experience fans face when attempting to buy concert tickets online.
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Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, control the majority of the market, meaning they encounter very little competition. Because of this, they can allow ticket prices to surge with demand, often reaching thousands of dollars at face value.
Technical problems, long virtual queues, and exorbitant bot activity make it nearly impossible for fans to actually obtain tickets at a decent price, if they can even get them at all.
Ticket prices have increased exponentially in the past few years.
Research from Hypebot revealed that concert ticket prices have risen 80.5% in the last 5 years. Since 1996, the cost has increased nearly 430% for just one ticket. What was once an easy weekend activity has now become a major event to budget and save up for.
Why the crazy inflation? Well, online music publication Metal Injection speculates, "Modern ticket prices are divided among many players, including venues, promoters, artists, and ticketing companies."
They further explained, "From a $140 average ticket, large portions go to production costs, taxes, and fees, leaving artists with far less profit than fans might expect after covering touring expenses. Added ticketing fees – often 25–30% of the price – further inflate costs for consumers."
Concert-goers are speaking out about their awful experiences buying tickets, and encouraging companies to change their practices.
Fans are taking to social media to share their thoughts about the situation. TikTok user Kendall posted a video where she explains, "It's way too competitive. The fact that I have to sit in a queue with hundreds of thousands of people for a venue that holds maybe a tenth of that, just feels ridiculous to me at this point."
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Another user, Mary Ashlee, has similar grievances, saying, "I just don't remember having to do all this for a concert ticket. But nowadays, it's like every single artist I almost have issues with buying tickets for." Though she has been a long-time concert-goer, she now has to wait until the day before the event to (hopefully) snag some affordable tickets.
Fortunately, many artists are realizing the struggles their fans are facing on ticket purchasing sites. According to Reveille, up-and-coming pop singer Olivia Dean recently blasted Ticketmaster, Live Nation, and AEG Presents for allowing resale tickets for her North American tour to reach more than $1,000 above face value. She called the system "vile" and demanded that improvements be made.
Legislators are also working to make the ticket-buying experience more accessible and fair. The Federal Trade Commission actually sued Ticketmaster and Live Nation for engaging in illegal and deceitful sales practices on behalf of both artists and consumers. With pressure from both legal scrutiny and public shaming, these ticketing giants may be forced to eventually change their practices, returning concerts to what they once were.
Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor's degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
