What's the top price you think a concert ticket should be worth?

[MusicJunkie]

I know these artists live lavish lifestyles, but sometimes I think there's a difference between living well and gouging the fans. With album sales in decline, I'm aware that artists make more from touring than recording these days, and with inflation, the days of seeing your favorite band who is #1 on the chart for $9.50 is over (man, how I wished I was older and had the chance to go to concerts back when two tickets to see Van Halen or Prince or Journey would cost less than a t-shirt), but I think price-gouging has gone out of hand.

If you want to even see Barbra Streisand as a tiny blip on the stage, it'll still set you back $500. For Madonna, $350 is necessary for a decent view. But not only are older artists like Babs, Madge and The Rolling Stones gouging the bankbooks of their fans, even younger stars like Miley Cyrus and The Jonas Brothers are charging in excess of $200 for a concert ticket now.

I think all of this is morally reprehensible especially since we're in a huge recession (and the average Jonas/Miley fan is too young to have a job). To me, $100 should be the absolute max an artist should be allowed to charge. Even for $100, the artist should be able to live very comfortably. Cher took home nearly $200 million from her Farewell Tour where tickets topped out at $80. I saw Michael Jackson when I was eight and my older sister camped out for tickets. I had excellent seats and they were $22.50!!!! $22.50 in 1988 dollars is about $40 today. Can anyone honestly say that Jonas Brothers and their ZERO hits that anyone over 13 knows are worth five times the inflated cost that Michael Jackson back when he laid claim to the biggest star in the world?

I have to give my respect to people like Bob Dylan, Prince and Bruce Springsteen, all of which are perennial touring draws who always do well, but also see fit to give the fans a night of entertainment without gouging their pocketbooks and almost never go over $100.

[phoebe7165]

When I started going to concerts WAAAAAY back in 1983, I saw 3 bands, one of them being The Police, at the height of their success, and my ticket was $12.50!!

Now I understand that prices for everything goes up over the years, but some of the prices the promoters charge for concerts is ridiculous! Yes, I don't have to go if I don't like it, but I like seeing people live. There have been some shows though that I've decided to not see because I thought the prices were too steep.

Like I said in another thread, I really wish a performer would step forward and say "The prices for my tickets are too expensive, I already have way enough money, lower those prices!!" Of course, I don't see that happening any time soon! I mean the performer already has millions, how much more money do they really need??!!

[Zoneboy]

$500 to see Streisand? I can think of better things to do with that much money. I rarely attend concerts and have been to less than 20 in my lifetime. The most I've paid is probably $22.50 but I'm more accustomed to paying $0.00 because I can usually win tickets from the radio stations in my area that are promoting it.

[HuntingtonM15]

I agree that the prices are ridiculous these days. Some artists are way too greedy. I remember with Barbra Streisand's last tour she offered premium packages to get a seat within one of the first 10 rows or something like that. Depending on the city, I think it was anywhere from $1,200-1,800 per ticket! Her show here was cancelled altogether due to low ticket sales.

[MusicJunkie]

Originally Posted by phoebe7165

When I started going to concerts WAAAAAY back in 1983, I saw 3 bands, one of them being The Police, at the height of their success, and my ticket was $12.50!!

It's really sad how much times have changed. My second to oldest brother who passed away some time back was a teenager in the late 70's/early 80's and I remember him showing me his concert stub collection. KISS, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Van Halen, The J. Geils Band, U2, Fleetwood Mac, The Police, The Rolling Stones, Judas Priest, Queen, The Eagles, etc... you name it if they were a big rock band from the time, he was there. He'd go to concerts almost monthly even tho he was a teenager who wasn't getting allowance anymore because concert tickets were affordable, he only needed to work two hours to get enough to see AC/DC, whereas now, that might be two weeks pay if you work retail like my brother did. I don't see why the cost of tickets went up so drastically vs. the cost of living. If my brother could see concerts all the time working at K-Mart in 1978 for minimum or close to it, why do fans today have to take out loans if they're not well off?

[MonarC]

I know that the tickets range from maybe $50-$500 depending how close you want to get. I think anything over $500 is outrageous.

[MusicJunkie]

Originally Posted by MonarC

I know that the tickets range from maybe $50-$500 depending how close you want to get. I think anything over $500 is outrageous.

I would say $150 is outrageous.

If you're going to spend $350 to see Madonna... IMO, she better pick you up from your house personally from her limo, then take you to dinner, which is on her, and drop you back off after the show.

[MusicJunkie]

Originally Posted by phoebe7165

I really wish a performer would step forward and say "The prices for my tickets are too expensive, I already have way enough money, lower those prices!!" Of course, I don't see that happening any time soon! I mean the performer already has millions, how much more money do they really need??!!

you can tell which artists are really in it for the money and who are in it for the love of music by this. I remember in the 90's, Pearl Jam fought to keep ticket prices down at the top of their game because they respected their fans... compare this to Disney trash like Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus who are trying to charge after a year or two what artists who have worked for 20+ years to get where they are charge. It's sick and proof that they're just trying to cash in while the chips are hot, instead of trying to be like Pearl Jam or Nine Inch Nails and value your fans and not gouge them for every dime you can get from their pockets.

[BarneyFife]

Over priced tickets is one reason why I don't attend concerts like I use to. Back in the 70's when I first started going to concerts, tickets were only eight dollars a piece. Now, you can't buy a coke and hotdog with that. It's ridiculous.

[Schmoopie]

I can't remember how much I paid for Harry Connick Jr (oops, I mean his concert! LOL), but when I saw Jerry Seinfeld in Vegas back in August, the tickets were $110 each. Yep, that's pretty pricey, but I love Jerry enough to pay that. And yes, I know that he's not a musician by any means, but I still consider it a concert-type event. Anything more I would probably have to pass on it. I did get a discount on the HCJ tickets because of being a fan club member. However the tickets I got were SECOND ROW, PLUS I got to meet him afterwords, and that was priceless!
I wouldn't pay more than probably $130 each. There's no one I want to see bad enough that I would pay $200. Not even Enya.

Andrea

[phoebe7165]

Originally Posted by MusicJunkie

you can tell which artists are really in it for the money and who are in it for the love of music by this. I remember in the 90's, Pearl Jam fought to keep ticket prices down at the top of their game because they respected their fans... compare this to Disney trash like Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus who are trying to charge after a year or two what artists who have worked for 20+ years to get where they are charge. It's sick and proof that they're just trying to cash in while the chips are hot, instead of trying to be like Pearl Jam or Nine Inch Nails and value your fans and not gouge them for every dime you can get from their pockets.

I don't know about how much either the Jonas Brothers or Miley Cyrus are charging for tickets(IMO, I wouldn't even see them for FREE!!), but you'd think they take into consideration that the majority of their fans can't even drive themselves to their shows, much less be able to afford their tickets. I guess they figure parents are going to pay whatever it takes to make their kiddies happy.

[phoebe7165]

Originally Posted by BarneyFife

Over priced tickets is one reason why I don't attend concerts like I use to. Back in the 70's when I first started going to concerts, tickets were only eight dollars a piece. Now, you can't buy a coke and hotdog with that. It's ridiculous.

Don't even get me started on the concession stand!! $8 for a beer, and $4-$5 for a hot dog?? Don't think so. I hardly buy any eats at a show. We always grab a bite to eat before. I also hardly buy any of their merchandise, either. I figure I spent enough on the tickets(and sometimes parking). That's all I'm spending.

And don't get me started on parking fees, either!!!

[phoebe7165]

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

I can't remember how much I paid for Harry Connick Jr (oops, I mean his concert! LOL), but when I saw Jerry Seinfeld in Vegas back in August, the tickets were $110 each. Yep, that's pretty pricey, but I love Jerry enough to pay that. And yes, I know that he's not a musician by any means, but I still consider it a concert-type event. Anything more I would probably have to pass on it. I did get a discount on the HCJ tickets because of being a fan club member. However the tickets I got were SECOND ROW, PLUS I got to meet him afterwords, and that was priceless!
I wouldn't pay more than probably $130 each. There's no one I want to see bad enough that I would pay $200. Not even Enya.

Andrea

I have to really, really, really like somebody to spend that much money. There are only a very few acts that I will pay extra money for.

And you got to meet Jerry?!!! Awesome!!! How did you meet him? Just by waiting for him after the show or because you were part of his fan club. Alot of people now are doing VIP packages. Some are better than others, some are meet & greets, some are soundchecks, some are pre-show parties. Of course, you have to shell out some money to do these. Like regular tickets aren't expensive enough!!

[phoebe7165]

BTW, I'm the one who voted Undecided. I'm mixed on this. Artists shouldn't be able to charge what they want but the fans have the right to decide to not pay. You'd think with some acts who have the low tickets sales would see this and remedy it by lowering their prices.

[MusicJunkie]

Originally Posted by phoebe7165

I don't know about how much either the Jonas Brothers or Miley Cyrus are charging for tickets(IMO, I wouldn't even see them for FREE!!), but you'd think they take into consideration that the majority of their fans can't even drive themselves to their shows, much less be able to afford their tickets. I guess they figure parents are going to pay whatever it takes to make their kiddies happy.

sadly, that's not always the case. Hell, my parents had money and would never buy me concert tickets when I was little and wanted to see Janet or Madonna or whoever. My sister did buy me Michael Jackson tickets but that's my sister, she always has been different about money than my parents were. And even then, at least Michael Jackson had been around for almost 20 years by then and appealed to all age groups. I can't see parent types like mine fudging "well, I want to be a cool parent so I'm going to buy two of those $300 Miley Cyrus tickets (since minors can't go alone)", and people need to realize this more. For maybe $35-50, those parents might be a little more fudgable to say yes.