Wonderwall of Bad Blood: The Price You’ll Never Shake Off

Author: Louise Baxter - Four minute read

If you’ve tried to buy concert tickets lately especially for big names like Oasis you’ve probably experienced dynamic ticket pricing. One minute you think you’ve got a decent deal and the next minute, the price shoots up so high that you’d have to sell a kidney to afford it. This has been all over the news as well. So what’s going on? Why do ticket prices fluctuate so wildly? And more importantly, is this system fair or even legal? 

Let's break it down. 

What Is Dynamic Ticket Pricing? 

Dynamic ticket pricing is like a game of musical chairs except the chairs keep getting more expensive as more people try to sit down. This system allows ticket prices to change based on demand. In theory, it’s similar to how airline tickets, UBER or hotel rooms are priced. If demand is high, the price goes up; if demand is low, it goes down. 

Sounds simple, right? Well, hold on a minute…. 

When applied to concert tickets, this method can feel like fans are getting squeezed for every penny. Ticket prices for shows by artists can skyrocket within seconds. One minute, a ticket might be £150, and after a quick refresh, you're looking at £350 or more for the same seat. This is what happened with the Oasis and Taylor Swift tickets in the US. 

The Oasis 2025 reunion tour has faced significant backlash due to Ticketmaster's use of dynamic pricing, which caused ticket prices to skyrocket in response to high demand. This practice led to widespread criticism from fans, who felt misled and priced out of the shows. 

Although Oasis claims they were unaware that dynamic pricing would be used for their tour, the controversy prompted the UK government to announce a review of ticket resale practices. Many fans expressed frustration with the inflated prices and the lack of transparency, particularly since resales were supposed to be limited to face value via Ticketmaster or Twickets. 

​Financially, the 17 shows sold out rapidly, generating millions in revenue. While specific figures for total earnings haven't been confirmed, the dynamic pricing strategy likely boosted profits significantly due to the higher prices paid by fans amid the strong demand​. 

Artists like Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift decided to opt out of the dynamic pricing in the UK structure, so it is possible to present clear transparent prices to consumers.

The Moral Dilemma: Is It Fair to Fans? 

The big issue with dynamic pricing is that it can feel like exploitation, especially for die-hard fans who have waited months or even years to see their favourite artist. People who genuinely love music feel they were being priced out only for the wealthiest fans or opportunistic resellers to snap up the best seats. 

On the surface, dynamic pricing rewards the artists and promoters for high demand. But it often punishes fans who’ve been loyal for years. Music, after all, is supposed to be about bringing people together, not dividing them based on who can shell out more cash. 

There’s also the emotional investment. Fans aren’t just paying for a seat at a concert; they’re paying for an experience that might mean the world to them. The practice of hiking up ticket prices during peak demand feels predatory almost as if the system is exploiting people’s passion for profit. 

Legal Issues: What Can Be Done? 

While dynamic pricing can feel immoral, it’s generally legal in most places. Laws around ticket sales vary depending on the country, but many regions lack strict regulations on how much tickets can cost or how prices can change. The main defence promoters and platforms like Ticketmaster use is that dynamic pricing reflects the real market value of a ticket. If someone is willing to pay £1,000 for a front-row seat, the thinking goes, then that’s what it’s worth.  Which is true to a certain extent.  However is it fair you are told on price at the beginning a the queue and then five hours later at the end of the queue the price has doubled. 

Dynamic pricing practices can be considered unfair if they mislead consumers. For example, if consumers aren't informed that prices may increase while they're waiting in line to buy tickets, this could be considered misleading. The decision to use dynamic or “surge” pricing - when the cost of a ticket changes due to demand - could be in breach of regulations due to customers not being informed about the change in prices before they queued for tickets. It said while the practice is accepted for goods and services such as taxis, holidays and flights, customers hoping to book gig tickets through this method were “misled” by lower prices published ahead of the tickets going on sale. 

Resale sites also contribute to the problem. Scalpers use bots to scoop up tickets during the initial sale, only to resell them at even higher prices. Though some laws exist to prevent bots from buying tickets in bulk, enforcement is sketchy at best.   

What’s the Alternative? 

Some artists have taken a stand against dynamic pricing. Pearl Jam famously fought against Ticketmaster in the 1990s, arguing that its practices were unfair to fans. More recently, bands like Radiohead have experimented with fan-friendly pricing models that limit scalping and aim to make tickets more affordable. Unfortunately, not every artist has the clout or willingness to fight the system. 

There’s also the question of whether dynamic pricing can ever be done ethically. If prices rise due to legitimate demand, but a portion of the proceeds goes to charity or back into the community, maybe that softens the blow a little. But until there’s a more transparent system in place, fans are likely to continue feeling disappointed and mislead. 

The Price We Pay for Live Music 

Dynamic ticket pricing is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it allows artists and promoters to capitalise on the real value (what people will pay for the) of a concert ticket. On the other hand, it risks alienating the very people who have supported these artists from the beginning. 

Oasis, or any other big-name act deserves to be compensated for their talent, but there’s a fine line between fair pricing and greed. As long as dynamic pricing is in play, fans will need to weigh whether the experience is worth the emotional and financial toll and artists will need to decide how much they’re willing to charge for the privilege of seeing them live.  Me being very public sector have to be reminded constantly by Adam that its ok for people to make money!  However my counter argument is NOT to the detriment of consumers or exploitation of vulnerabilities.  

At the end of the day, we’re all just looking for a night of music, connection, and memories. But it’s up to the industry to make sure those experiences don’t come with a cost that’s too high for most fans to bear.