Dynamic Concert Pricing: Fair Business Strategy or Fan Betrayal?
News this week of Neil Young's decision to eschew dynamic pricing had me reminiscing about the 1990s. I would sit by the landline pressing redial again and again in my quest to get those elusive Take That concert tickets.
Nowadays, buying concert tickets is theoretically simpler—all you need is a browser, a heavy dose of patience, and a bit of luck. But with the advent of dynamic pricing, that landscape is changing. Once you finally get through the queue, you may not be able to afford—or justify—the cost of the ticket you desperately wanted.
The Ethics of Supply and Demand
With demand for the hottest gigs in town far outstripping supply, some artists are using this imbalance to maximise their profits. This is understandable from a business perspective, but is it ethical? And is this a good decision for the long term, or something that may ultimately damage their relationship with fans?
Neil Young recently joined Taylor Swift and Robert Smith in explicitly rejecting dynamic pricing. Meanwhile, Oasis embraced it—and ticket prices jumped from £135 to over £350 within minutes of going on sale. So, is this smart business or fan betrayal?
Crucially, dynamic pricing isn't automatic—artists and their management choose to opt in. Yet with the UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy calling inflated ticket prices "incredibly depressing" and demanding an investigation into practices that exclude "ordinary fans," we must question whether the short-term cash grab is worth alienating the very people who built these careers.
A Question of Fan Base and Legacy
For some bands with predominantly wealthy fans, this may not present a problem. Their audience won't judge them for it or see them as greedy. But when I heard that Taylor Swift had decided against dynamic pricing, citing concerns about her "long-term career," it instantly increased my respect for her. She understands that while she might make more money in the shorter term, alienating fans who cannot afford inflated prices could damage her legacy. And some might argue the tickets are expensive enough anyway.
The Universal Nature of Music
The ethical considerations run deeper when we consider that music is universal by nature. Your biggest fans aren't necessarily wealthy, yet they're often the ones who have supported you from the beginning. How will it sit with fans that they can't afford to attend your concerts so that you can buy an even more expensive yacht?
A band like Oasis presents an interesting case study. Their fans are now grown up enough to understand that sometimes you can't afford what you want, and the band seems to be capitalising on their reunion for all it's worth. Where this sits a little uneasily is that Oasis built their reputation on appealing to a broad range of people—many of whom are now priced out by dynamic pricing. But perhaps with less of a long-term perspective and more focus on a one-time reunion payday, this matters less to them.
The Future of Concert Pricing
It will be interesting to see how this evolves over time. If dynamic pricing becomes the norm, perhaps artists will be judged less harshly for implementing it. However, there's something fundamental about how music exists for the many, not the few. It is not elitist by its nature—anyone can turn on the radio and listen to it. Should attending live performances remain similarly accessible?
Ultimately, artists will need to decide firstly if they find it ethical to charge this way, and then consider what it might do to their long-term fan base. Dynamic pricing could generate more money in the shorter term, but at what cost to their legacy and relationship with fans?
Either way, as concert-goers and music lovers, we'll be watching closely to see which path our favourite artists choose.