Over the past few years, the cost of attending concerts has increased dramatically. Many fans who once regularly attended shows are now finding it harder to afford tickets. According to Consequence.net, the top 100 tours now average around $132 to $136 per ticket, with premium seats sometimes reaching into the thousands of dollars. Although prices have recently dropped slightly from their recent peak, concert tickets have still increased by more than 80% since 2021.
One of the main reasons for the rise in prices is often called “funflation.” This refers to the high demand for tickets for concerts and live events. When popular artists announce tours, tickets often sell out quickly, driving resale prices even higher. At the same time, modern concerts require much larger productions. Artists now travel with bigger stage designs, lighting systems, video screens, and special effects. These large productions cost more money to run, which contributes to higher ticket prices for fans.
Students at Weir High School are noticing the impact of these rising costs. In a small survey of students, 100% said they believe concert prices have increased. Many said spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a single concert is simply not realistic. Because of this, some students choose to skip large arena shows and attend smaller local concerts instead, which can often be just as fun while being much more affordable.
Some students shared their personal experiences with high ticket prices. One student, Faith Smith, said, “I wanted to attend Noah Kahan and Bruno Mars, but the ticket prices just for the nosebleeds were $500. That’s not cheap for the normal person.” Faith, along with others, also pointed out how expensive premium seats can become, adding, “I saw that some tickets for the pit were $4,500.” Another student, Charlee Tredway, added, “You have to pay $400 to $600 just to be remotely close to the musician.”
Even with higher prices, there are still ways for young fans to find more affordable tickets. Some people choose nosebleed seats because they are often the cheapest choice available. Others turn to ticket-buying apps that help users find better deals. For example, Fox Business reports that apps like TickPick does not charge additional service fees when buying tickets. Other platforms such as SeatGeek and StubHub offer tools like “deal scores,” which help buyers find the best-value seats and set price alerts in case ticket prices drop. These apps also provide seat ratings so buyers can better judge whether tickets are priced fairly based on their location in the venue.
While many apps offer discounts and deals, it is important for fans to buy tickets from legitimate and trusted vendors. Doing so helps ensure that fans can safely attend concerts and enjoy seeing their favorite artists live without breaking the bank.
