With concert prices on the rise and the staggering cost of merch, it’s spenny to stan nowadays
It was a monumental moment for K-Pop fans: Blackpink, the South Korean girl group, were headlining the British Summer Time festival in London’s Hyde Park. Jess knew her 11-year-old daughter would be desperate to go; she’d been a massive fan for years, singing along to their tunes since she was tiny. But the cheapest tickets to see the foursome were £90-plus, rising to £380 for the best ‘seats’ in the house. And the expense didn’t stop there. Not even close. Jess’s daughter was hankering for the official Blackpink lightstick – a black, mallet-like plastic object that was going to set her back another £50. Then there was the travel, snacks and drinks to consider.
This couldn’t be more at odds with mum Jess’s formative experience in the 1990s. As a teen, she paid for tickets to see the likes of The Prodigy, Oasis and MC Hammer with her modest pocket money. ‘My daughter simply couldn’t do that,’ she says. ‘The prices are astronomical. She won’t get the same experiences I had.’
Being a superfan of any artist can be a costly hobby these days, with ticket prices for festivals and gigs reaching extortionate highs. Astudy from French consulting firm PMP Strategy found prices of concerts rising at almost twice the rate of inflation since 2019 – and in some cases, by as much as 22%. Tickets for Glastonbury cost £355 this year – up from £205 in 2013, and £105 in 2003. Meanwhile, a standing ticket for Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts tour, which comes to the UK in May, cost £92.95 in UK venues, while the most expensive VIP package for Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras tour set fans back £662.40.
With young people feeling the burden of the ongoing cost of living crisis, many fans have been priced out of going to gigs. A YouGov survey found 51% of Britons say ticket prices have prevented them from attending concerts at least once in the last five years, forced to fork out on other essentials instead.
But what’s fuelling these hefty prices? Matt Grimes, a lecturer in music industries and radio at Birmingham City University, says the 2020 Covid lockdown still has the music industry in its grip.
‘When Covid put a halt to touring, many professionals in the industry were forced to find new jobs, and they didn’t all return when the lockdown lifted,’ he explains. ‘This led to a shortage of personnel in the touring industry – with those left being able to charge more for their services.’
Many musicians also blame Brexit for causing ticket costs to soar. A survey by industry body UK Music found 82% of British performers have lost inc
