As a backlash over the price of concert tickets intensifies, a number of major artists have introduced ways for some fans to attend their shows without breaking the bank.
The likes of the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Olivia Rodrigo and Charli XCX have all introduced various programs under which certain tickets are available for as little as £20 ($26).
However, there’s a catch: the tickets are often unallocated when purchased, so fans won’t find out where they’re sat (or stood) until they arrive at the venue.
As the Wall Street Journal reports, the initiative was spearheaded by the Rolling Stones, who introduced a “Lucky Dip” program.
Jared Braverman, senior vice president of global touring at Live Nation, told the publication that the Stones inspired Coldplay to follow suit and introduce their own “Infinity Tickets” priced at £20.
Braverman said Coldplay acted to “make their show more accessible and more affordable,” and that the band’s actions in turn led Olivia Rodrigo to introduce a similar scheme known as “Silver Star” tickets.
The policy only applies to a limited number of tickets available for each show, with Braverman admitting that: “It’s not a ton in most cases, but it’s enough to make the program meaningful.”
The drive to reduce the price of some tickets has reportedly come from artists themselves, even if it means a reduction in overall revenue.
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Jonathan Eshak, co-president of Mick Management, told the WSJ that “the trend right now is making sure that the audience feels heard as they become more vocal about how they’re getting access to tickets. You’re potentially forfeiting revenue, but you’re also trying to create a good experience for people who are more price conscious.”
In a recent survey, the entertainment data company Luminate found in a survey that 75% of Gen Z respondents called the cost of tickets the main barrier to concerts in 2024. By this year, that percentage had fallen to 57%.
Last December, The Independent reported that over the past 30 years, the average UK concert ticket price has increased by 521 per cent.
In 1996, it was £16.99 ($22.85) and by 2025 it had reached £105.60 ($142). If ticket prices had risen in line with inflation, that number would be £34.18 ($46).
The biggest price jump has happened only very recently, with concert prices seeing a massive 80.5 per cent increase between 2021 and now.