Bringing legendary mega tours from Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen, 2023 was an epic year of live concerts.
2024 might just be even more epic. The upcoming year is stacked with events from the world’s hottest pop stars — from Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny and Nicki Minaj to Madonna and Drake.
That’s the good news. The bad news is concert tickets are pricey and only getting pricier. Over the last five years, the average ticket price for a concert has doubled, skyrocketing from $125 in 2019 to $252 in 2023, according to The Wall Street Journal. Prices have gotten so outrageous that 46% of concertgoers would consider getting a second job to cover the cost of tickets, according to a survey by Insuranks.
Why Are Concert Tickets So Expensive?
How exactly did we get here? Industry experts say there are several reasons concert ticket prices are soaring, including:
- High production costs: The cost of production is going up due to increasingly elaborate shows with special effects and theatrical lighting.
- High demand: Months of being stuck at home during the pandemic have translated to massive “pent-up” demand for live concerts and events.
- Fees: Ticket sellers tack on exorbitant fees, which can be as high as 78% of the ticket price.
- A growing resale market: The growing resale market is also contributing to increased prices since limited availability and high demand for resale tickets allow sellers to set prices higher than the original face value.
- Scalper bots: Scalpers use automated bots to purchase tickets in bulk during early ticket sales, leaving fewer tickets available for true fans and creating artificial scarcity that drives up prices.
How Much Are Live Concerts in 2024?
Just how expensive is it to see live music this year? To give you a sense, we’ve outlined the cost of some of the most coveted future concert tickets in 2024.
Olivia Rodrigo Concert Tickets
The 20-year-old singer-songwriter sensation is hitting stadiums around the world with her “Guts” tour. The tour will run from Feb. 23 through Aug. 14, kicking off in Palm Springs and ending in Los Angeles.
The show sold out immediately after the sale went live on Ticketmaster last fall. Resale tickets are available on certified platforms like StubHub, Vivid Seats and SeatGeek.
How Much Are Olivia Rodrigo Concert Tickets? Resale tickets start at around $194, with an average price of $836.
Adele Concert Tickets
Following a blockbuster run in 2023, Adele has again extended her “Weekends with Adele” residency in Las Vegas. Previously slated to end in November 2023, the last string of Weekends With Adele shows will now run from Jan. 19 to June 15.
Adele’s new residency dates for 2024 sold out immediately on Ticketmaster last fall. Resale tickets are available on certified platforms like StubHub, Vivid Seats and SeatGeek.
How Much Are Adele Concert Tickets? Resale tickets start at around $826 with an average price of $2,109.
George Strait Concert Tickets
George Strait, the “King of Country,” announced plans to perform in nine stadiums across the U.S. in 2024. Straight is teaming up with fellow country music legend Chris Stapleton to co-headline the tour, which will run from May 4 to Dec. 7.
How Much Are George Strait Concert Tickets? Tickets start at around $130, with an average price of $652.
Drake Concert Tickets
Canadian hip hop artist Drake is extending his blockbuster 2023 “It’s All A Blur — Big as the What?” tour to include more arenas in 2024. The tour will run from Jan. 18 to March 27. On select dates, Drake will be joined by fellow rapper J. Cole.
How Much Are Drake Concert Tickets? Tickets start at around $500 with an average price of $650.
Bad Bunny Concert Tickets
Grammy-winning Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny is returning to the stage with an impressive 47 shows in 31 American cities in 2024. Bad Bunny’s “Most Wanted Tour” will run from Feb. 21 to May 26.
How Much Are Bad Bunny Concert Tickets? Tickets start at around $113, with an average price of $740.
How To Get Cheap-er Concert Tickets in 2024
Feeling a little sticker-shocked? Don’t freak out: There are ways to score tickets to see your favorite artists that don’t require getting a second job. Save on future concert tickets with these industry insider tips:
Score Pre-Sale Tickets
Concert tickets for top acts sell out within seconds. Your best bet for landing a face-value ticket is to get in on the presale, an exclusive ticket sale that occurs before the general public release. There are lots of ways to increase your odds of getting your hands on presale discount concert tickets, including:
- Join fan clubs: Many performers have official fan clubs with perks like presale access. You can typically join your favorite artists’ fan clubs for free on their official website. Make sure to register for emails and follow their social media to catch early-access presale codes.
- Use credit card presales: Some credit card companies — including Chase, Citibank and American Express — hook cardholders up with exclusive presale offers. Check if your credit card provides presale perks, and be on the lookout for presale announcements.
- Get venue presales: Local concert venues sometimes host presales and will often announce them via email or on social media. To catch venue presale codes, make sure to sign up for emails from your favorite venue and follow them on social media.
- Hunt for presale codes: Presale codes occasionally get leaked online. To find these, a simple Google search typically does the job — but be careful and double-check that the source and information are trustworthy.
Score General Sale Tickets
If you can’t land presale tickets, general sale tickets are your next best chance of getting tickets at face value. For popular shows, it can be virtually impossible to land general sale tickets — but it never hurts to try.
Missed out on a general sale? You can still sometimes get lower prices by purchasing a resale ticket right after the show sells out. Which brings us to our next tip ….
Shop Resale Tickets as Early as Possible
Resale prices may be closer to face value in the minutes after the show sells out on a primary marketplace since a premium hasn’t had time to develop yet. However, you’ll need to act fast, as prices tend to skyrocket in as little as a few hours after hitting the resale market.
Wait for Last-Minute Deals
It’s an age-old question: Do concert tickets get cheaper closer to the date? A recent study from Finance Buzz suggests the answer is yes: Data revealed that prices were 27% lower than average if you buy tickets the day before the concert and 33% lower than average if you buy concert tickets on the day of the concert.
This plan can be risky, however — especially with popular performers. Prices might increase if demand suddenly surges, and hot shows can sell out before the prices drop.
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