Neil Young Halts Platinum Ticket Sales After Robert Smith Inspires Stand
Neil Young announced on his website that he will cease offering platinum-priced concert tickets in the future, describing the practice as "a detrimental development affecting shows globally."
Young stated that he drew inspiration from The Cure’s Robert Smith, who adopted a comparable position for the band's North American tour in 2023, referring to platinum and dynamic pricing. "a greedy scam" that artists have the option to decline (which may reduce their ticket sales income).
"It was this particular narrative that made me understand I had an option to choose from and could create an impact for my musically inclined friends,” Young posted on Friday. In his explanation, he mentioned using platinum tickets as a strategy against scalpers who bought large numbers of tickets only to resell them at inflated prices. Through platinum ticket sales, additional funds would go directly to him rather than remaining with Ticketmaster. “The high-priced platinum tickets were rolled out in regions where scalping activities were prevalent. However, having those extra earnings directed towards myself felt incorrect.”
Young has consistently based his business choices on his personal principles, such as when he opted in 2022 to take his music off of Spotify In objection to the misinformation Joe Rogan was spreading regarding vaccines. (He ultimately brought his music back onto the platform last year.)
Platinum and dynamically priced tickets stand out as significant frustrations for concertgoers amidst the ongoing increase in ticket costs within the live music industry. As Oasis prepares for their highly anticipated tour, this issue remains prevalent. 2025 reunion tour Later this year, they faced considerable backlash from UK fans due to their use of dynamic pricing. Following the sale, the band posted on X stating, "The implementation of our strategy did not live up to expectations."
As Young pointed out, artists often opt for pricier ticket tiers since they have observed the substantial profits scalpers reap from underpriced tickets relative to demand. They prefer this additional revenue goes directly back into their pockets and those closely associated with managing tours. In the instance of The Cure, the group not only avoided reselling attempts but sought greater market control as well to combat scalping activities. Many musicians now utilize what’s known as “face value ticket exchanges,” enabling concertgoers who bought tickets yet cannot attend due to unforeseen circumstances to sell these tickets at face value to another fan.
Concluding his message to fans, Young stated that he has "opted for the public to resolve this issue."
Purchase tickets promptly as soon as they become available," he advised, "otherwise, you'll end up paying significantly more for them on the resale market.
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