By Kaitlyn Bell
As inflation slowly deescalates in the media, one relevant price point for many NHP students creeps its way into the public eye: concerts. Following the pandemic, concert ticket prices for a popular artist have spiked to about 18% more expensive than in 2019. For the artists, touring has become about 30% more expensive than it was pre-pandemic, meaning that just to break even, an artist has to sell most of their tickets.
Many fans are upset about the price of tickets, considering the most recent announcement of tours by their favorite artists such as Taylor Swift, SZA and Drake. No matter the artist and the type of music they perform, there is a general consensus looming over the tour industry that ticket prices are reaching an unreasonable high.
Yet, many fans are willing to pay large amounts to see their favorite artists live, despite situations such as the Ticketmaster controversy involving Taylor Swift. Discussions over outfits, setlists, merchandise and even the artists' looks themselves are trending on many different platforms.
Source by Ann Aphraim
Fans get excited by tour announcements, but are often quickly brought down when the prices appear on the screen.
Many students at NHP have opinions regarding the concerts they have attended, wish to attend or will be attending in the future.
“I have been a Taylor Swift fan since I was a kid, so it’s unfortunate that tickets are at such a high price. Luckily, I was able to get tickets for Morgan Wallen with friends for a bit cheaper than Taylor Swift, so I am super excited to have the opportunity to see him live,” junior Fiona O’Reilly said. “As someone who loves music and believes that all people should invest in seeing their favorite artists live if they get the opportunity to, concerts are experiences that I am willing to spend a little more money on, but increasing rates of tickets are definitely pushing the limits for me.”
“I think the price was a little shocking to see at first, but I feel as if it’s worth it because of the fact that it is Drake and the seats that we got. I’m going with my friend and her brother, and I’m really excited for July,” senior Evelyn Joseph said.
“SZA has been my favorite artist for so long, not just because of her music but because of how empowering she is. Listening to SZA has always kept me motivated! Seeing her in concert was an unreal experience. I had tears down my face,” senior Ava Geigle said. “Her setlist was so powerful and ‘Broken Clocks,’ ‘Supermodel’ and ‘Love Galore and Good Days’ were my favorite songs to see live! Hearing songs I’ve listened to since ninth grade and seeing them as a senior was surreal.”
There are a multitude of opinions regarding the controversy of concerts. Some fans refuse to feed into the high ticket prices, while others are willing to wait by their laptops in queues for high-priced tickets. Fans will have to wait to see if their favorite performers will become as affordable as they once were.