Are you a huge fan of Beyonće and hoping to see her at her Renaissance World Tour? If you are, the price is high. In numerous venues across the UK, tickets started from around £55 for reserved seats, depending on the area in the stadium to £2,391.50 for "guaranteed front row seats" [1]. The price of these tickets is in line with the trend occurring over the years as acts have gradually charged more and more for their concerts.
Back in the day, musicians and singers could rely on CD sales for their revenue, but as listeners have increasingly turned to streaming platforms such as Spotify for their music, this is no longer the case. Therefore, artists place greater reliance on their other sources of income: concert tickets and merchandise sales. Also, alongside the impact of inflation, the
cost of production has also increased over the last couple of years.
But is it fair for artists to ask their fans to pay so much for their shows?
In my opinion, there are two types of concert-goers. First is the occasional ticket buyers who are likely to buy a one-off ticket when they have spare time. These people are probably less likely to buy a ticket at the latest prices. To them, it just isn't worth it.
The other concert-goers are full-on music lovers who are willing to do whatever it takes to see their favourite artists. Thinking deeper, the demand of the public is key to the price of concerts. Despite the prices, Beyoncé's concerts are nearly sold-out, with only the most expensive tickets still available [2]. So, people are willing to pay the prices.
Perhaps the answer then is for artists to find an alternative method of making their income. If they could make more money from their music releases and from the actual music itself, maybe they wouldn't have to charge as much for their concerts. But again, it is all due to demand. Whether you think it is fair or not, fans are still buying the tickets, and as long as they continue to do so, the prices will likely remain the same.
[1] Anonymous, Beyoncé Renaissance Tour: Hotel and ticket prices skyrocket for Cardiff Principality Stadium gig' (8 February 2023), Beyoncé Renaissance Tour: Hotel and ticket prices skyrocket for Cardiff Principality Stadium gig | ITV News Wales, [Accessed 12/02/2023]
[2] Anonymous, 'Tickets for Beyoncé's 1st concert of world tour sell out', (7 February 2023), Tickets for Beyoncé’s 1st concert of world tour sell out | The Independent, [accessed 12/02/2023].
Edited by Jemma Snowdon