Neil Young Criticizes Ticketmaster for Exploitative Ticket Prices

 

Legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young has publicly criticized Ticketmaster for its exploitative pricing policies, stating that “concert tours are no longer fun.”

Young expressed his discontent with the ticketing giant on his website, where he lamented the loss of the “old days” and expressed concern that artists were being blamed for Ticketmaster’s inflated prices.

The Cure and Ticketmaster’s Fees Debacle

Young also mentioned the recent controversy involving The Cure and Ticketmaster’s “Verified Fan” sale for their upcoming tour. The Cure’s frontman, Robert Smith, had expressed his frustration with the high fees charged by Ticketmaster.

After questioning the company, Ticketmaster agreed that many of the fees were unduly high and offered a refund to customers.

Dynamic Pricing and Artist Participation

The Cure, along with other artists like Harry Styles and Coldplay, have criticized Ticketmaster’s “dynamic pricing” policy, introduced in the UK in 2022, which inflates the price of remaining tickets for in-demand concerts.

The Cure chose not to participate in dynamic pricing, calling it a “greedy scam,” and suggested that if no artists participated, the practice would cease to exist.

Last year, Bruce Springsteen was criticized for using dynamic pricing for his concerts.

He responded by acknowledging the confusion surrounding ticket buying for both fans and artists and stating his intent to charge less than his peers.

US Senate Scrutiny and Monopoly Accusations

Ticketmaster faced criticism from US Senate members of both parties during a hearing in January.

Following the company’s merger with Live Nation in 2010, Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar called Ticketmaster “a definition of monopoly.”

Louisiana senator John Kennedy described the sale of tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour as “a debacle,” citing technical glitches and an extensive presale period that made it nearly impossible for many fans to purchase tickets.

Young’s Advocacy and Future Touring Plans

At 77, Neil Young remains an outspoken critic of the contemporary music industry and a proponent of green energy and other causes.

In January 2022, he removed his music from Spotify in protest of the platform hosting Joe Rogan’s podcast, accusing Rogan and Spotify of spreading fake information about vaccines.

Young released two albums with his band Crazy Horse in just over a year, with “Barn” in December 2021 and “World Record” in November 2022.

He is currently considering a self-sustaining, renewable tour that would rely on clean energy sources for all aspects of the production, including stage, lights, and sound.