Remarking the importance of keeping their own shows affordable, shows like the ones they attended when they were younger, Cobain explained how community and inspiration should be something everyone can afford. In this day and age, fans would be elated for any artist whose face value ticket price is $50. However, this is a rare reality made worse by the work done by scalpers and resellers.
Recently, artist Zara Larsson went to her socials to promote her shows, doing her own viral "Midnight Sun" dance over and over in an attempt to sell out her show in Bangkok. Fans quickly jumped at the opportunity to call out the ticket pricing for said show, pointing out how attending concerts is now a luxury reserved to the few and how they would attend if they could afford it. Larsson posted a response video, explaining how she has never been a part of the decision making process when it comes to ticket pricing but vows to be involved in the future. She also spoke about the reality of putting on a show and touring it around the globe, highlighting how much of the budget goes into production, crew, and musicians/dancers accompanying her, meaning she isn’t necessarily profiting from the high ticket sales.
Truth be told, artists' highest revenue doesn’t come from music itself, not streaming or shows (especially smaller artists), but from merchandise sales -- something people might not afford to get due to the expensive ticket they had to purchase for the show itself.
Just last November, minutes after Olivia Dean’s concert tickets went on sale, tickets were already being resold at up to $900. Many fans took to social media to express their concern and bring attention to the matter, resulting in Dean calling out Ticketmaster and Live Nation for allowing this to happen. She posted on her Instagram about how vile their services were for not having any sort of protection against excessive ticket pricing from resellers and stated that live music should be "affordable and accessible and we need to find a new way of making that possible." Following this incident, Ticketmaster agreed to price cap resale ticket prices at face value and pledged to respect artists’ wishes on how their shows are being sold/advertised.
Olivia Dean wins partial Ticketmaster refunds for fans after criticising ‘vile' resale practiceshttps://t.co/vsdIRo2vpJ
— ITV News (@itvnews) November 28, 2025
Similarly, a couple of months ago, when Phoebe Bridgers announced her Fall tour dates, many fans ended up paying extra despite Bridgers’s effort to keep tickets below a certain price point. She then proceeded to work alongside Ticketmaster to refund a partial amount, following the incorrect pricing being available for sale. Furthermore, even before Bridgers announced her new album/tour cycle, she began doing secret (free) drop-in shows across the country, allowing fans to see her play her new songs through a first-come-first-served system that only involved wristbands and venue staff -- zero ticketing apps.
With the same intention in mind, artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Charli XCX have recently launched initiatives ("Silver Star" and "Angel" tickets) for a pool of affordable tickets where fans don’t get their assigned seats until the day of the show, with both of them also doing drop-in shows in Brooklyn (NYC) with tickets available at the door at old-timey prices ($10!) in the current age.
Keeping concerts/live music affordable is incredibly important because it is built around creating community and allowing for human connection/expression. Not to mention, it is best for fan culture and society as a whole, because when people from different walks of life can actually attend, it makes for a better atmosphere/results. Famously, many great artists have experienced financial struggles from childhood to the times they were trying to "make it" in the industry, and I can’t help but think about how a lack of access to art and live music can potentially deter up-and-coming artists from exploring, getting inspiration, and creating. Being in a crowd provides a sense of togetherness and catharsis that can change a person’s life but also just bring great joy to it. Therefore, it’s great to see artists starting to stand up against outrageous pricing and wanting to create spaces where everyone can enjoy their music, because music isn’t only entertainment; it is a window to the human spirit and an opportunity to come together as a whole.
