I go to a lot of concerts. While this may seem like a luxury, live music has become a sort of a necessity for me. I personally love concerts because no matter how crappy life may seem, everything just feels like it makes sense in those couple of hours and and it makes me feel so alive and happy and there's so much adrenaline and happiness all your problems just kind of fade away for a little bit. As much as I love live music and try to ignore any possible issues within it, there actually is a problem that's kind of hard to completely put to the side: ticket prices. While I am known to shell out hundreds of dollars to see my favorite band in a heartbeat, I still think that most of the ticket prices are outrageous and so do the majority of concert goers and even some musicians themselves. This is why I decided to investigate further to figure out why they're so expensive. 

Music plays a huge role in my life and I know it plays a big role in many others. For me, personally, music plays a role in nostalgia and brings back childhood memories that I might not even remember without the songs. It can also help me cope with issues like my anxiety and depression and it helps me focus on school work and things like that. I can't go a day without listening to music and I know plenty of other people who feel the exact same way I do. No matter what genre of music you listen to it's unanimous that music is a very important role in the entertainment industry and everyday American life. Music was meant to be a community for people who have similar interests and like similar things. It ensures that everyone can all get along together no matter your race, religion, or political stance and be together for at least one night sharing the same experience. I know that I've been to plenty of concerts knowing well that I probably wouldn't have the same beliefs as other people, but no matter what when you see your favorite band come on stage and everyone else around you is also awestruck, you feel like all the other people at the show are your family and a sort of brotherhood and camaraderie comes out of the experience. It is amazing to share the memories and get so involved in the music, surrounded by everyone who feels the same way you do. It's pretty well-known that music can portray different messages like sadness or happiness and can put you in a different type of mood. With all the emotion that music can evoke it is pretty obvious that it's a lot better when the listener experience is shared. Whether you’re a regular concert-goer or not, I think everybody can agree that seeing your favorite musician, in person, live, in the flesh, is probably one of the things you've dreamt of, and it may even be on your bucket list. Not only is live music preferable because of the experience and community, but it also can make people realize that making music is more difficult than it may seem. When you listen to your favorite songs from your phone or a CD you often times don’t realize what it takes to actually make the music. Most music isn’t just made of synthesized beats, it takes actual people with the right instruments and talent to create the songs that we love. Not only does it take talent, but playing live also takes dedication and a huge amount of energy. It is easy to forget about how much effort actually goes into the music, but seeing live music can give everyone that much needed realization. I have been at concerts myself where the temperature was over one hundred degrees and, despite the heat, the musicians were running, jumping, and headbanging on stage and giving it their all to make the show as great as possible. My hands and arms get tired after sitting down and playing my bass guitar for an hour or so, and I couldn’t imagine how much commitment it would take to play a set for hours while standing on stage in front of a huge audience. Going to concerts will for sure give you a deeper understanding and also an appreciation for what the musicians do, and what it takes to make and perform music. Not only do we as concert goers benefit from the perks of live music, but that sea of people that makes up the crowd is what the band members dreamed for. 

What stands in the way of concert goers from enjoying more shows? No, it’s not the tall guy blocking my view of the stage. It’s ticket prices: more specifically added service fees from Ticketmaster and Live Nation, who have a monopoly on these venues and events. Let’s take a big flashback to 1994. Oversized flannels were all the rage and the popular band Pearl Jam was at the height of their popularity. When on tour, the band had started to focus more on creating a relationship with their audience. Previously, if anyone wanted to buy tickets, they would have to go stand in line at the venue the day they went on sale. Fans would pay the exact price that had been printed on posters and flyers. Then, came Ticketmaster. At first, it seemed like a great idea. Instead of waiting in lines, fans could call and order tickets and eventually even buy them from a couple clicks online. However, with what seemed like more ease came with a whole lotta service fees. Ticketmaster had to make their company the only way to purchase concert tickets, so they partnered with many venues to ensure they would be the only seller. The whole band, Pearl Jam, learned that their loyal fans had no other option than to pay way too much for their tickets. According to a 1995 article from The Foundation for Economic Education, “Pearl Jam asserted that Ticketmaster has a virtually absolute monopoly on the distribution of tickets to concerts.” The band was outraged and sought out the few venues that weren’t yet controlled by the monopolis Ticketmaster. Pearl Jam was forced to cancel their plans for a summer tour because of the difficulty finding venues that weren’t part of Ticketmaster. Pearl Jam filed a complaint about the anti-competitive practices, but the Department of Justice ended up dropping it. Even though trying to tour like that almost killed their career, Pearl Jam was ultimately satisfied because they tour for the fans and the music, not the money. A Rolling Stones article even stated “Ticketmaster, it’s claimed, keeps ticket sales organized and revenue high. This is often at the expense of the fans, however. The service charges that Ticketmaster adds to tickets range from $3 to $6 and can add more than 30 percent to a ticket’s face value.” Keep in mind, that number was in the late nineties, so ticket prices now are even more expensive. More importantly, the added prices make it almost impossible for fans to know the real value of the tickets. Everyone hates the dreaded service fees, but usually Ticketmaster is the only option. Pearl Jam wasn’t the only band to attempt to sidestep the monopoly. In 2010, the Pixies decided to experiment by selling tickets to a surprise show. Fans only heard about it from word of mouth or email. They ended up selling tickets to over three-thousand fans for the exact price they had stated. No extra service fees. By doing this, the Pixies broke away from Ticketmaster, at least for one show. 

In the late 90s and early ‘00s, it wasn’t easy for musicians to get away from Ticketmaster, but an event in 2009 made it nearly impossible. A Live Nation Ticketmaster merger. According to a 2018 article by the LA Times, “In 2008, the two companies held more than 80% of the market share.” This merger, approved by President Obama, may have just doomed the ticket industry more. The two companies being merged means that they own specific venues and have even more control. That’s like if Coca-Cola and Pepsi were merged. Obama was urged in 2009 not to approve the merger, but his top antitrust regulator at the time had said “There will be enough air and sunlight in the space for strong competitors to take root, grow, and thrive.” The merger was waved through and became final in 2010, according to the LA Times. So since 2010, Ticketmaster has owned even more venues, and most of them don’t want Ticketmaster to get rid of their service fees. Now, a whole ten years after the merger, Ticketmaster-Live Nation still has no competitors, and they continue to grow larger by purchasing promoters and festivals. The New York Times even said “Its operations extend into nearly every aspect of the concert world. Ticket prices are at record highs. Service fees are far from reduced. And Ticketmaster, part of the Live Nation empire, still tickets 80 of the top 100 arenas in the country. No other company has more than a handful. No competitor has risen to challenge its pre-eminence.” This proves that everyone’s worst fears about the merger have come true. The LA Times also said, “ The company has sway over nearly every facet of the live-event business: recording, record sales, licensing, talent management, venue ownership, ticketing services and even concessions.” When you really think about it, this one company’s control over the industry is kind of frightening, and seems like something you would hear about from a science fiction novel. 

There is no doubt about it, Ticketmaster Live Nation is a monopoly that feeds off the joy that fans have. It is clear that music is very important, and so are the musicians themselves. Making music is way more difficult than it seems, and the artists don’t deserve to be taken advantage of by a huge company, and neither do the fans. Many sources say that the best way to end this issue would be to break the company up, but there is no indication that it will happen in the future. What we can do though, is support our favorite musicians by purchasing their cds, merch, and when it comes to shows, try to find other options than Ticketmaster, if possible. The ticket prices and service fees are outrageous, but don’t let those things keep you from what makes you happiest. I am the happiest at concerts, and I personally made the decision to not let Ticketmaster get in the way of that. Monopolies need to be taken down, and huge companies can’t rule our lives so as individual Americans, let’s not let them.