Inflated ticket prices have been a hot topic over the past year, and one particular rocker is calling-out the industry.
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson spoke to Mexico’s ATMósferas Magazine, where he was asked if skyrocketing concert ticket prices are having a negative impact on the music industry. He noted that it depends on the show, but in some cases, artists are charging tickets with a $1,000 price tag. Dickinson pointed to U2 — who just wrapped up a residency at Las Vegas’ famed Sphere — who charged $1,200 per ticket.
“I’ve got no interest in paying 1,200 dollars to go and see U2 in the sphere — none,” he said. “A hundred bucks, maybe.”
He went on to say that it’s “important to keep the right tickets at the right price,” noting that while some people think the tickets in front of the stage should be the most expensive, these should actually be the most reasonably priced seats.
“[The front row seats] should be the most reasonably priced tickets, ’cause the people who are gonna go there to the front of the stage are gonna be people who are real fans, people who are kids, people who can’t afford the crazy money, but they are the people that need to be down the front; they’re the people that are gonna keep this music alive.”
He added that he understands promoters are “part of the ecosystem” and “without promoters, there would be no shows,” but it’s a “delicate balance.”
“In general, ticket prices have gone through the roof,” Dickinson said. “And some of the ticket prices that people pay, well, some of the prices people pay, for me, it’s insane. I would never pay that price, but then again, I’m probably not a fan of that particular artist. People who are, maybe they think it’s worth it.”
As for Iron Maiden, Dickinson said “we’ve always tried to keep the ticket prices within the normal, normal boundaries.”
| READ: Concert Ticket Pricing Surge Fueled by Artists, Promoters |
Ticket prices have been on a hot conversation, especially as promoter giant Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster are being investigated by the Department of Justice over their alleged monopolistic and anti-competitive practices. Live Nation also reported its “biggest year yet,” with revenue was up 36% to $22.7 billion last year with an operating income up 46% to $1.07 billion — further showcasing its stranglehold on the industry.
There are many reasons for the increase in ticket prices, including promoters’ use of dynamic pricing, post-pandemic recovery, artists’ ability charge more per ticket, and fans’ willingness to pay for the live experience. Some artists, however, are stepping-up to high prices; Yungblud just announced his own festival, dubbed Bludfest. The English singer said music festivals are becoming inaccessible, rather than being about “having fun and making memories.”