Cost of Living

Ticket Prices Have Hit the Roof, but at What Cost to Music Fans?

I can’t help wishing I was back among the hippies in those free festival days

✨ Bridget Webber
Never Stop Writing
Published in
4 min readSep 10, 2024

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A woman sings and plays the guitar
Photo by Evgeniy Alyoshin on Unsplash

Live music ticket prices are super-expensive, and fans pay. But why? Whether you go to a festival or concert, you must turn out your wallet. Things weren’t always this way, though.

We’re watching a festival documentary showing Hawkwind at Stonehenge in the 70s.

“I’m there somewhere,” says my husband, leaning toward the screen and popping on his glasses.

I scour the standing stones littered with fans, addicts, and flower children. Smoke rises from a bong as lithe, white-robed women with loose ringlets float between fresh-faced enthusiasts.

A lone long-bearded biker eases into the crowd as the band plays.

“How much were tickets?”

“Nothing.”

Wide-eyed, I stop to think. Free live music!

Today, a Taylor Swift concert ticket, front-row seat mind, costs £300. Sky News report that “nosebleed” seats are £50, plus fees. Billie Eilish (2025) tickets are £145 for fans who don’t mind standing.

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✨ Bridget Webber
Never Stop Writing

Former counselor. Spiritual growth, compassion, mindfulness, creativity, and psychology. https://ko-fi.com/bridgetwebber