Why Have Concert Tickets Risen So Much?
According to Vox, twenty years ago, the average price for concert tickets was $40.74 per ticket. In 2019, the average price for a concert was $91.86. As of September 2024, the average cost is $123.25. When artists rise to fame, do they raise their prices? Is the concert even worth it for that price? The main reason for this inflation is simply an increase in demand from more and more concertgoers. An example of the more demand of people is in 2019, 98 million people went to one of Live Nation’s concerts. In 2023, 145 million people attended their concerts. This is a huge jump in people, almost 50 million more people in 4 years.
Taylor Swift is a great example of the increase of concertgoers. According to Forbes, the average concert ticket for the 1989 world tour was $392. According to Sporting News, the average price as of today for the Eras tour is $1,088.56. There are a couple of reasons for this pricing, but the main thing is how popular the artist is, so naturally, the price will go up. Taylor Swift is so successful in the music industry that tickets to her show are in high demand, therefore prices have increased.
One person whose concert tickets have risen is Gracie Abrams. In March 2023, a ticket to Gracie Abrams's “The Good Riddance Tour” cost $30 to $50. However, she quickly rose to fame after Taylor Swift brought her on tour. Her upcoming tour, “The Secret of Us,” became more expensive because more people recognized her after her opening for Taylor Swift. According to SeatGeek, the average ticket price is $266, more than a $200 jump. However, even though this jump is immense, Abrams remains humble. Some may disagree with this point because she had already risen to fame when she was young being the daughter of J.J Abrams, a Star Wars filmmaker. Some people may argue that being in fame this early has taught her to be conceited, but she has worked for anything she has gotten and has stayed humble. For example, on the opening night of her last tour, she brought donuts and coffee to her fans in cold conditions. People love her because her music makes them feel heard. This is a good example of how she has stayed true to her fans, and there is a reason for her concert tickets.
Abrams released her sophomore album on June 21, 2024. The tour released tickets on June 4th. “The Secret Of Us” has been on the Hot 100 for Billboard for six weeks and has received a Grammy nomination. This is one of the reasons her tour is becoming so popular. This being only her second album and already breaking the charts with songs, “Close To You” and “ I Love You I'm Sorry” is quite surprising and shows real talent. But is that talent worth $266? The answer is complicated because the price can depend on how close the seating is, the venue type, and the ticket purchase time. For example, to get a good price on tickets, you have to be there almost as soon as the tickets come out, and some artists even have a waiting room. Concert fees can make up a lot of the ticket price. According to a Government Accountability report in 2018, fees make up 27% of the ticket price. Another reason behind this pricing is that the ticket holders are not telling you how many tickets are being sold. Many tickets are not being sold, and Ticketmaster simply just isn't showing us.
Getting concert tickets has always been an exciting experience and relatively cheap. But year by year, tickets are getting more in demand and becoming more expensive. Now getting tickets is almost like a chore, and you don't know if you actually will get the tickets. In the future, will concert prices get more aggressive and pricey?
By Katie Byrd