At the beginning of the year, Harry Styles officially ended his 2.5-year hiatus, announcing his fourth studio album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally., shortly followed by an announcement for his Together, Together residency tour. Presale sign-up was within days of the announcement, and despite no one having heard the album yet (which has become the norm in the music industry), fans were making travel plans for their desired tour date, myself included. But when the first presale occurred, things weren’t looking so optimistic anymore, as ticket prices far exceeded many people’s price expectations. As an avid fan of Harry Styles myself, these events led me to wonder how ticket sales have ended up as a luxury only available to the wealthy, rather than an accessible experience for the average fan. The Together, Together tour seems to be the newest example of artists prioritizing profit over fan accessibility and connection.
When the presale for Styles’ tour officially went live on Ticketmaster, fans were surprised to see tickets priced upwards of $1,000, leading to many calling out Styles on the inflated prices. Ticketmaster’s additional fees added to this price, making tickets completely out of reach for many fans, a result of the systems set up by both the entertainment company and the artist. It seems tours have become an economic venture for some artists rather than a chance to connect with fans worldwide, and to be frank, it’s disappointing to see an artist’s loyalty switch from fan connection to profit. While Ticketmaster controls the platform, it is also up to the artist to protect the fans from being exploited by the entertainment company.
With the recent events concerning Ticketmaster and the Together, Together tour, I was reminded of a 1993 MTV interview of Kurt Cobain discussing ticket prices. In the clip, Cobain is surprised to hear that Madonna was charging $50 for her prices, stating that Nirvana’s average ticket price was $17. For context, $17 amounts to around $38.63, and $50 translates to $113.62 in 2025, a shocking difference compared to today’s ticket prices. While these prices would of course change for inflation, I find it surprising just how drastic the price difference is. From an artist who valued the connection of concerts, Cobain viewed Madonna’s higher prices as a scam. I can only imagine what his reaction would be to musicians charging hundreds of dollars just for fans to be in the same arena as the artist.
With the advancement of the internet and streaming sites, musicians have reached unprecedented heights, and it’s no surprise that the fanbases of these artists have also increased. Harry Styles has reached this status, and on one hand, it’s exciting to see an artist getting the acclaim I feel they deserve, but it’s also disheartening to see Styles use this increased fanbase purely for profit (or at least that’s what it feels like). Losing the Ticketmaster war is a lot more than simply not getting a ticket; it also reflects how artists and the music industry in general treat loyal fans.
Concerts have now become a luxury because of the policies and industries that have pushed them to be so, sometimes including the artists themselves. So where do concerts go from here? It’s unclear. I hope more musicians start to realize how unfair and inaccessible concerts have become for many people, and they choose to advocate for their fanbase to get better ticketing policies and prices. But for now, Ticketmaster still dominates ticket sales, so I will be joining the many who can only view their favorite artists through a grainy livestream.