After last year’s Taylor Swift concert mania, music lovers had hoped ticket prices would normalize this year.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Lynne Blalock was excited about attending Funk-Fest, an R&B music festival. “We saw that the tickets were general admission and were $45,” Blalock said.
She ordered three tickets but was shocked by the final cost. “I realized it came to $410,” Blalock recounted.
The actual amount was $417. She ended up paying double the original price, plus a $93 service fee. Blalock had purchased tickets from a third-party resale site, where prices for some shows are soaring.
At least she got tickets.
Last year, Katie Briley and her daughter tried to buy Taylor Swift tickets that came out to $1,722, but they ended up with nothing when a seller never transferred the tickets.
To avoid such ticket nightmares, the Better Business Bureau suggests buying only from reputable resellers that accept credit cards and offer a money-back guarantee in case a ticket is fraudulent.
Legitimate resale sites include StubHub, Vivid Seats, 333seats, and Gametime, which recently released a list of 2024’s most expensive concerts based on resale prices:
- Olivia Rodrigo – $963
- Bruno Mars – $619
- Morgan Wallen – $562
- Pearl Jam – $523
- Noah Kahan – $462
- The Rolling Stones – $430
You can often avoid these high resale prices by signing up for an artist’s fan club, which gives you the chance to buy presale tickets at face value.
And things could get even worse this fall when Taylor Swift returns from her overseas tour and starts playing in the U.S. again. As always, don’t waste your money.
