Music is an art that has stirred the soul since the dawn of time, and concerts are among the experiences that remain forever imprinted in our memories.

But has attending a concert become a luxury? In recent years, concert ticket prices have risen dramatically, creating growing frustration among fans and music lovers wishing to see an artist they appreciate on stage.

Scarcity of tours and rising demand

The COVID-19 pandemic took a heavy toll on the music industry, forcing many artists to cancel their concerts and tours. These events were put on hold for an extended period, resulting in a surge in demand. Fans, eager to see their favorite artist back on stage, were faced with an increasingly saturated market.

When concerts resumed, demand exploded, and tickets sold out at lightning speed. The scarcity effect was reinforced by the fact that many artists were unable to tour as much as before the pandemic. The combination of high demand and limited supply naturally led to higher ticket prices.

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Rising costs for concert organizers

Organizing a concert, especially for major artists, involves significant costs. Production costs include venue hire, logistics, sound and lighting systems, and the salaries of technical crews. These costs have risen considerably in recent years, not least because of the inflation caused by the pandemic. Rising transport, energy and equipment prices have weighed heavily on event organizers.

Faced with these rising costs, concert organizers are forced to increase ticket prices to avoid running a deficit. While profit margins were already tight before the pandemic, rising costs have forced them to review their prices, often to the detriment of fans.

Concert ticket resale sites

Another major cause of rising concert ticket prices comes from online resale platforms. Sites such as Ticketmaster, Viagogo, StubHub and Live Nation enable people who were unable to buy a ticket when it first went on sale to turn to the secondary market. While these platforms offer a practical solution for accessing missing tickets, they also have an impact on prices.

Indeed, tickets are often resold at much higher prices than those on the primary market. Resellers, seeking to maximize their profits, can thus offer tickets at prices far exceeding their initial value. This creates a situation where fans end up paying much more than expected to attend a concert, particularly those of big stars where demand far exceeds available supply. This speculation is particularly problematic for concerts by popular artists, where demand far exceeds supply.

For music lovers, this situation is becoming increasingly frustrating, as access to concerts becomes a luxury, reserved for those who can afford to pay high prices. Faced with this reality, the music industry will probably have to find solutions to balance supply and demand while making concerts accessible to all.