concert tickets
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05/10/2024
Here’s your guide on where to buy tickets to the most-anticipated country music concerts of the year.
05/10/2024
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Aerosmith is ready to come together with fans for the rescheduled dates of their Peace Out farewell tour. The band originally had to cancel tour dates when Steven Tyler announced a vocal chord injury, but starting Sept. 2024 until Feb. 2025, the rockstars will head back on the road and travel to cities across North America. Select dates will also include special guests like The Black Crowes and Teddy Swims.
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Tickets initially went on sale through Ticketmaster and you may still be able to buy tickets from the official distributer. In case you can’t find the seats or the view you want though, there are cheap ticket sites available including resale options like StubHub, Vivid Seats, Seat Geek and Ticketsmarter.
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If you want to hear hits like “Walk This Way,” “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” “Dream On” and “Sweet Emotion,” keep reading to learn more about where to buy Aerosmith tickets.
Is This Aerosmith’s Last Tour?
The Peace Out Farewell tour is slated to be the last tour by Aerosmith as of now. Originally, the tour was slated to begin Sept. 3, 2023, and go on for more than 40 concerts, but after Tyler sustained an injury to his vocal chords during the third show in, the band had to postpone their tour dates.
How to Get Aerosmith Tickets Online
Ticketmaster still has tickets available for their 2024 tour, which you can buy starting at $57. If your desired section or number of tickets wanted aren’t available, you can check out resale ticket sellers for more options below
StubHub
StubHub is offering Aerosmith tickets for as low as $58 (at the time of this writing). You can choose tickets based on the number you need, price and section of the venue. Each ticket purchase also comes with a FanProtect Guarantee that ensures you receive valid tickets in time for the event. If an issue occurs with your order, you’ll get comparable, better tickets, or your money back.
Vivid Seats
Another affordable option is Vivid Seats, which offers Aerosmith concert tickets from $53. To help you find the best options, the site allows you to sort tickets by price or seating area in the arena. And if you’re looking for additional savings, you can get $20 off orders of $200+ when you use the code BB2024 at checkout. Students can score 10% off orders of $25+ when you verify your student status here. Purchases are also protected through Vivid Seats’ 100% Buyer Guarantee, which you can learn more about here.
Seat Geek
Seat Geek is providing tickets starting at $63 with deals rated on a scale of 1-10 to make sure you score the best discount. Tickets that are labeled a 10 are considered the best deal, and one-rated tickets are the worst. You can customize your options by including fees with ticket prices and even sign up to get notified if ticket prices drop. A bonus offer: use code BILLBOARD10 to save $10 off your ticket purchases of $250+ (offer valid on first purchases only) at SeatGeek.com.
TicketSmarter
You can score Aerosmith tour tickets for as low as $50.92 through TicketSmarter. You can choose tickets based on venue level as well as cost. Plus, your purchase is covered by the site’s 100% Guarantee, which means you’ll receive a refund if your event is canceled and not rescheduled, tickets weren’t valid or delivered in time for the event.
Aerosmith Peace Out Farewell Tour Dates
Below are the remaining Aerosmith tour dates to help you plan out where you see the band live.
Sept. 20: PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sept. 23: Wells Fargo Center in Pennsylvania, Pa.
Sept. 26: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
Sept. 29: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio
Oct. 2: Spectrum Center in Charlotte. N.C.
Oct. 5: Thompson Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn.
Oct. 8: Capitol One Arena in Washington D.C.
Oct. 11: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga.
Oct. 14: Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo.
Oct. 17: Heritage Bank Center in Cincinatti, Ohio
Oct. 20: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
Oct. 31: Footprint Center in Phoenix, Ariz.
Nov. 3: Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas
Nov. 6: Moody Center in Austin, Texas
Nov. 9: American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas
Nov. 12: Bok Center in Tulsa, Okla.
Nov. 15: Chi Health Center in Omaha, Neb.
Nov. 18: Ball Arena in Denver, Colo.
Nov. 21: Moda Center in Portland, Ore.
Nov. 24: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash.
Nov. 27: Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah
Nov. 30: Chase Center in San Fransisco, Calif.
Dec. 4: Sap Center in San Jose, Calif.
Dec. 7: The Kia Forum in Los Angeles, Calif.
Dec. 28: Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Dec. 31: TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
Jan. 4: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.
Jan. 7: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario
Jan. 10: Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec
Jan. 13: Shottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio
Jan. 16: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.
Jan. 19: United Center in Chicago, Ill.
Jan. 22: Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn.
Jan. 25: T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
Feb. 11: Kia Center in Orlando, Fla.
Feb. 14: Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.
Feb. 17: Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.
Feb. 20: PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C.
Feb. 23: Madison Square Garden in New York City, N.Y.
Feb. 26: Keybank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
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Billy Joel has had a New York state of mind for practically a decade since beginning his Madison Square Garden residency in 2014, but now it’s coming to end. The record-breaking concert is already considered one of the biggest residencies of all time, with CBS even livestreaming its epic 100th performance.
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If you’d rather watch the “Uptown Girl” singer in person, there are still four dates remaining for his MSG residency. The Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper won’t stop with NYC though — he also has tour dates across the U.S. and Europe, where you can still score travel deals and buy tickets.
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Joel’s remaining Madison Square Garden residency dates are April 26, May 9, June 8 and July 25. Prices are currently high and ticket availability to Joel’s New York shows is scarce, but that’s where some resale and third-party ticket sites can help.
Keep reading to learn where to buy tickets — and get a discount — to see Billy Joel below.
Where to Buy Billy Joel Tickets Online
Tickets were initially sold through Ticketmaster, the official ticketing distributer for Joel’s residency. You can still buy tickets for as low as $411, but you may be able to find cheaper options and deals through resale sites including StubHub, Vivid Seats, Seat Geek and Gametime.
StubHub is offering tickets to MSG for as low as $296, and you can also find options for the “Piano Man” singer’s tour. Each purchase comes with the FanProtect Guarantee, which will keep your purchases protected. You can also use the interactive venue map to choose tickets based on price and seating section.
Another option is Vivid Seats, which has tickets for his residency for as low as $286 in addition to Joel’s remaining tour dates. You can also save $20 off orders of $200+ when you use the code BB2024 at checkout. Each ticket purchase will be protected through the site’s Buyer Guarantee, which you can learn more about here.
SeatGeek currently has MSG residency tickets starting at $393 and you can utilize the site’s deal rating scale to determine how good of a deal you’re getting. SeatGeek uses a 1-10 rating system with one being the worst deal and 10 being the best deal you can get. You can also save $10 off your ticket purchases of $250+ (offer valid on first purchases only) when you use the code BILLBOARD10.
For affordable last-minute tickets, Gametime is offering MSG ticket options for as low as $280. Purchases will receive the Gametime Guarantee, which includes event cancellation protection, a low price guarantee and one-time ticket delivery.
Where Is Billy Joel Playing in 2024?
Check below to see the full list of Billy Joel tour dates and places the “Vienna” singer will be playing.
April 26: New York, N.Y. at Madison Square Garden
May 9: New York, N.Y. at Madison Square Garden
May 24: Seattle, Wash. at T-Mobile Park
June 8: New York, N.Y. at Madison Square Garden
June 21: Chicago, Ill. at Soldier Field
July 12: Denver, Colo. at Coors Field
July 25: New York, N.Y. at Madison Square Garden
Aug. 9: Cardiff, U.K. at Cardiff Principality Stadium
Sept. 13: Cleveland, Ohio at Cleveland Browns Stadium
Sept. 27: St. Louis, Mo. at Busch Stadium
Oct. 12: Inglewood, Calif. at Intuit Dome
Oct. 25: San Antonio, Texas at the Alamodome
Nov. 9: Las Vegas, Nev. at Allegiant Stadium
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
There’s nothing like seeing Beyoncé live in concert, but until she hits the road again, musical production company Fever is letting you listen to the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer’s biggest hits under the soft glow of candlelight.
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A musical tribute to Beyoncé is taking over New York City and more cities across the U.S. as part of Fever’s “Candlelight Tribute” concerts. It’s time to don your best Western attire and listen to the Highline String Quartet play live orchestra versions of Beyoncé’s discography.
The Beyoncé Candlelight Tribute Concert dates include Thursday (April 25), Saturday (May 11) and Saturday (June 8), with the option of attending a 6 p.m. ET or 9:30 p.m. ET show. If you want to get tickets to Fever’s Beyoncé candlelight tribute, you’ll want to act fast before they sell out.
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The tentative program includes orchestral versions of hits like “Love on Top,” “Hold Up,” “If I Were a Boy,” “Say My Name,” (Destiny’s Child), “Drunk in Love,” “Single Ladies,” “Sandcastles,” “XO,” “Irreplaceable,” “Halo,” “Survivor” (Destiny’s Child) and “Crazy in Love.”
How to Get Tickets to Beyoncé’s Candlelight Tribute Online
Fever’s Beyoncé Candlelight Concert will be taking place at the St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn starting April 25. While there are a variety of cheap ticket sites out there, you can only purchase these tickets through Fever. Tickets start at $35 and go to $65, and you can choose between three zones to sit in to watch the orchestra perform live.
The performance is recommended for children 8 years old and up — anyone under 16 years old will need to be accompanied by an adult.
If you can’t make it to New York, there are more cities putting on the program including Minneapolis, Minn., on April 19, San Antonio, Texas, on April 26, St. Louis, Mo., on May 10, New Orleans, La., on May 11, Yakima, Wash., on May 23, Dallas, Texas, on May 25, Springfield, Mass. on June 6, Portland, Ore., on June 7, Reno, Nev., on June 20, Sacramento, Calif., on June 21 and Spokane, Wash., on June 28.
The Grammy-winner isn’t the only Billboard Hot 100 artist you can experience through Fever — the program also does candlelight tributes for Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and even throwback artists like ABBA and Nirvana. And for even more unique Fever experiences, check out Broadway Sings Taylor Swift.
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Vampire Weekend is taking over our spring, summer and fall with a new tour to celebrate its fifth studio album, Only God Was Above Us. It’s been nearly five years since they’ve released a full album, but on April 5, fans will have a set of fresh tunes to dance along to, and you can score cheap tickets now to ensure you see the “Capricorn” band perform new and old hits live.
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Vampire Weekend took to Instagram to make the tour announcement on Feb. 16 with a post detailing the dates and cities they’ll be visiting. The tour will kickoff on April 8 in Austin, Texas, and continue you on throughout the rest of the year until the final show on Oct. 17 in the same city they start in.
“THE ‘ONLY GOD WAS ABOVE US’ NORTH AMERICA TOUR IS HERE,” the caption says.
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The band also announced a slew of openers, including LA LOM, The English Beat, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Mike Gordon, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Ra Ra Riot, Princess featuring Maya Rudolph and Gretchen Lieberum, Cults, a DJ set by Mark Ronson, Turnstiles and The Brothers Macklovitch. You’ll want to refer to the official tour flyer to determine which opener is playing in your desired city.
When Is Presale & General Sale for Vampire Weekend’s Only God Was Above Us Tour?
Citi cardmembers have access to an exclusive presale starting Tuesday (Feb. 20) until Thursday (Feb. 22), which will occur through Ticketmaster — the official ticket distributer for the Vampire Weekend tour. Registration for the fan presale may be closed, but you still have chance to get tickets to the concert during the general sale, which is happening on Friday (Feb. 23) at 10 a.m. local time.
Ticket prices on Ticketmaster range from $43 to $300, depending on the seats you choose.
Where to Buy Tickets to Vampire Weekend Only God Was Above Us Tour
Missed out on the presale and general sale? Ticketmaster isn’t the only way to score cheap tickets to the concert — you can also find tickets through resale sites including StubHub, Seat Geek and Vivid Seats.
StubHub tickets start as low as $36 and are backed by the brand’s FanProtect Guarantee, which means if your tickets aren’t legit, then the retailer will provide 120% credit or the option for a full refund.
Take advantage of tickets from $49 as well as a 10% discount on purchases of $250+ with the code BILLBOARD10 (valid on first purchases only). Seat Geek also has a Buyer Guarantee with tickets to help protect your purchases, which you can learn more about here.
Vivid Seats is offering tickets starting at $34, which are protected through the retailer’s Buyer Guarantee that promises 100% legitimate tickets or your money back.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Mariah Carey isn’t waiting until the holiday season to defrost her touring schedule. While Christmas may be done and over with, the “Touch My Body Singer” has announced her return to Las Vegas for a 2024 residency titled The Celebration of Mimi, joining the grow list of current Las Vegas residencies for the year — and you can still find cheap tickets to performances.
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Starting April 12 until April 27, you can catch the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper on stage at Dolby Live at Park MGM. The Las Vegas residency won’t just give fans a chance to see Carey perform live, but will also be a celebration of her 2005 album, The Emancipation of Mimi.
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The “Hero” singer took to Instagram on Feb. 6 to announce the residency, as well as when and how to purchase tickets.
“Vegas, I’m coming back to town with a new show!! 🎉🦋” her Instagram caption reads.
How Much Are Mariah Carey Concert Tickets?
Tickets originally went on sale through Ticketmaster on Feb. 10, but they haven’t sold out yet. You can get tickets through Ticketmaster with prices starting at $65. VIP packages are still available and range from $284 to $750.
You may be able to find cheaper tickets to the shows through resale ticketing sites such as StubHub, Seat Geek and Vivid Seats, but prices will range and could be higher than the original selling price.
More Ways to Get Tickets to Mariah Carey’s The Celebration of Mimi
If you decide to go the ticket resale route or if you can’t find the price and/or section you desire through Ticketmaster, there are a few ticketing options to choose from.
StubHub is offering tickets to her Las Vegas residency starting at $95, with the option to sort by price or use the interactive map to find tickets based on the venue’s seating options. The online ticket seller also offers its FanProtect Guarantee, which you can learn more about here.
Another option is Seat Geek, where first purchases can earn you $10 off orders of $250-plus when you use the code BILLBOARD10. Tickets start as low as $117, and the retailer rates its ticket options based on how good of a deal it is. Using a scale of one to 10 (one being the worst deal and 10 being the best), you can find tickets based on the deal, price and seating section.
Vivid Seats has ticket beginning at $87 with a Buyer Guarantee or you money back. When selecting your tickets, you can use the interactive map or customize your options by the type of ticket, amount needed and more.
Has Mariah Carey Done a Vegas Residency Before?
This will mark the third Las Vegas residency that pop star has done, with the first being her 2015 stay titled #1 to Infinity, which took fans through all of 18 of her No. 1 hits. What followed was her 2018 residency called The Butterfly Returns, which featured a mix of some of her biggest hits as well as some of her personal favorites.
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Stevie Nicks is making our “Dreams” come true as she announced 12 additional dates to her 2024 tour across North America. The “Landslide” singer has been co-headlining with Billy Joel in various cities across the U.S., but now she is offering opportunities for fans to watch her perform solo and you can still score cheap tickets.
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Nicks took to Instagram on Monday (Feb. 6) to make the official announcement with a photo of her updated tour dates list.
“It’s a new year… Let’s keep this thing going! I’ve added 12 more shows to my 2024 tour. I can’t wait to see you all soon. ✨” the caption says.
Additional cities she’ll be visiting include St. Louis, MO; Thackerville, OK; Nashville; San Antonio; Highland, CA; Salt Lake City; Denver; Indianapolis; Uncasville, CT; Albany, NY; Hershey, PA; and Grand Rapids, MI.
Presale for the newly added dates will occur Friday (Feb. 9) through Ticketmaster, but for those who miss out, you can still get cheap tickets through resale ticketing sites such as StubHub, Seat Geek (first purchases are eligible for $10 off with code BILLBOARD10) and Vivid Seats.
Ticket prices through Ticketmaster range from $40-$229+ and can be higher or lower depending on the resale site.
Where to Get Stevie Nicks Tickets
StubHub ticket prices start at $75+ and can be personalized based on price, section and which ones are recommended by the site. Each purchase also comes with the FanProtect Guarantee, which you can read more about here.
Choose from Seat Geek tickets starting at $93+ and browse through options ranked on a scale of 1-10 to based on how good of a deal it is. Tickets labeled as a 10 are considered the best deal, and one-rated tickets are the worst. You can also include fees when looking at ticket prices and even sign up to get notified if ticket sales drop in cost.
Vivid Seats includes a selection of tickets beginning at $70+ and comes with 100% Buyer Guarantee protection to keep your purchases safe. Using the interactive map, you can find tickets based on price or specific sections in the venue.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The “Man of the Woods” has finally emerged from the forest with a brand new album, which means Justin Timberlake is going back on tour. The singer’s 2024 Forget Tomorrow world tour is set to open in Vancouver, Canada, on April 29 and will continue across North America in major cities including Seattle, Las Vegas, Austin, Chicago, New York, Boston and more. Cheap tickets are still obtainable for those looking to see the “SexyBack” singer live in concert.
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Future tour dates for the U.K. and Europe are set to be announced at a later date, but for now you can get tickets to performances in the U.S.
Timberlake took to Instagram to officially announce the official dates for the first leg of his tour. “THE FORGET TOMORROW WORLD TOUR. Tickets on sale Friday 2/2. LEG 1… MORE TO COME,” the caption says.
Get your “Suit & Tie” ready as the presale for the 2024 tour began on Monday (Jan. 29) — but if you missed out on signing up, there are still plenty of chances to get tickets to the tour through general sale, which will take place Friday (Feb. 2) at 10 a.m. local time through Ticketmaster.
Ticket prices through the verified Ticketmaster sale will range from $124 to $355.
In case tickets sell out on Ticketmaster or you can’t find your desired section, you may still be able to purchase tickets through resale sites like StubHub, Vivid Seats and Seat Geek (get $10 off your first purchase of $250+ when you use the code BILLBOARD10 at checkout).
How to Get Justin Timberlake Tickets
Ticketmaster is the official seller of the Forget Tomorrow tour, but you may be able to find better or cheaper tickets through resale ticket sites.
StubHub is offering tickets for $84+ and this will also include VIP packages. Prices will most likely fluctuate and change based on demand, which means you won’t want to wait too long just in case ticket prices increase dramaticly.
Vivid Seats has a mix of tickets starting at $73+ and as a bonus, the website uses an interactive map to personalize your seats to a particular section, price range and more.
Seat Geek is offering tickets for prices starting at $106+, which are then rated on a scale of one to 10 based on how good of a deal the ticket is. 10 represents the best bang for your buck while a ticket ranked at a one is considered not the best deal.
A bipartisan coalition of high-profile U.S. senators introduced a sweeping ticketing reform bill today that backers say would significantly improve transparency in concert and sports ticketing, better manage and enforce laws around ticket resale and ban deceptive sales tactics designed to trick consumers into overpaying for access to major events.
The Fans First Act, sponsored by U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and co-sponsored by Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Peter Welch (D-VT) is the most comprehensive ticketing industry reform package ever introduced in Congress. It could lead to needed reforms long championed by consumer rights groups, advocacy groups and live music companies including both Live Nation and Ticketmaster, as well as members of the Fix The Tix coalition: the National Independent Venue Association, the Recording Academy, the National Independent Talent Organization, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Association of Performing Arts Professionals.
“The current ticketing system is riddled with problems and doesn’t serve the needs of fans, teams, artists, or venues,” Sen. Cornyn said in a statement. “This legislation would rebuild trust in the ticketing system by cracking down on bots and others who take advantage of consumers through price gouging and other predatory practices and increase price transparency for ticket purchasers.”
Klobuchar added, “Buying a ticket to see your favorite artist or team is out of reach for too many Americans. Bots, hidden fees, and predatory practices are hurting consumers whether they want to catch a home game, an up-and-coming artist or a major headliner like Taylor Swift or Bad Bunny. From ensuring fans get refunds for canceled shows to banning speculative ticket sales, this bipartisan legislation will improve the ticketing experience.”
The Fans First Act boasts more than a dozen reform proposals aimed at protecting consumers, including requiring sites like StubHub and Ticketmaster to disclose the full price of tickets including fees at the beginning of the sale and detail if tickets are being sold by a primary seller or a reseller.
The bill would also strengthen the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act, signed into law in 2016 by President Barack Obama, which prohibits the use of automated bots to purchase tickets online. It would additionally require sellers and resellers to provide proof of purchase to consumers within 24 hours of purchase and refund consumers the full cost of their tickets when events are canceled. If passed, the bill would also commission a Government Accountability Office study to investigate the marketplace and make recommendations.
Among other provisions, the Fans First Act would also ban the sale of a ticket that the reseller claims they possess but don’t acquire until they have already secured a sale for the ticket. Known as speculative ticket sales, the practice is often the subject of complaints from consumers who later learn they significantly overpaid for tickets.
Those who violate the law could face civil penalties and be added to a reporting website for fans to file complaints about illegal ticket sales tactics that would then be investigated by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.
“Fans have become increasingly frustrated with how difficult it has been to obtain affordable tickets to see their favorite artists perform,” said Sen. Blackburn. “Bots are snatching up tickets and selling them for exorbitant prices on secondary markets, while some ticketing companies are selling speculative event tickets that don’t even exist. This bipartisan legislation builds upon my work to safeguard artists and their fans in the online ticket marketplace.”
Sen. Luján stated that the “current ticketing system is limiting access to live entertainment,” adding, “That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Fans First Act to ensure the sale of tickets is accessible to all consumers.” Sen. Wicker added, “Deceptive ticketing practices have become far too common. This bipartisan effort would result in more transparency and less price gauging.”
The Fan First Act is expected to be heard by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Earlier this week, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Commerce passed a similar bill called the Speculative Ticketing Oversight and Prohibition (STOP) Act, which is now eligible for a vote by the full House.
The STOP Act also bans speculative ticketing, and like the Fans First Act, addresses a range of deceptive ticketing practices and pricing transparency issues. Live Nation and other groups have also expressed support for the STOP Act.
Earlier today, Live Nation officials issued a statement endorsing the Fans First Act.
“We support the Fans First Act and welcome legislation that brings positive reform to live event ticketing. We believe it’s critical Congress acts to protect fans and artists from predatory resale practices, and have long supported a federal all-in pricing mandate, banning speculative ticketing and deceptive websites, as well as other measures. We look forward to our continued work with policymakers to advocate for even stronger reforms and enforcement,” the statement reads.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. also came out with a statement supporting the bill on Friday. “With the introduction of the Fans First Act today, the Recording Academy applauds Senators Klobuchar, Cornyn, Blackburn, Luján, Wicker and Welch for taking this important step towards comprehensive ticketing reform,” he said. “As we work together to improve the ticket marketplace, we urge Congress to act on this bill quickly and continue its effort to protect both artists and fans by increasing transparency and limiting bad actors that take away from the joyous experience of live music.”
Buying concert tickets could become an easier, more straightforward process after the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Commerce passed the Speculative Ticketing Oversight and Prohibition (STOP) Act on Wednesday (Dec. 6). The bill is now eligible for a vote by the full House.
The STOP Act, which Rep. Gus Bilirakus (R-Fla.) called the “biggest ticket reform in years,” does far more than prevent speculative ticketing, though. The bill also addresses a range of deceptive ticketing practices and transparency issues that perplex, aggravate and annoy consumers.
For starters, the bill requires ticket sellers to conspicuously show the final ticket price at the beginning of the purchase process rather than at check-out. “The first price that you see when you order the ticket is the price that you pay — not a penny more,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) during Wednesday’s hearing.
The bill also ensures ticket buyers can get refunds when concerts are cancelled or postponed. Ticket buyers will have the option of receiving a full refund or, subject to availability, a replacement ticket if the event is postponed and rescheduled in the same or a “comparable” location.
“Consumers should not be left on the hook if an event is canceled or postponed and should have the option to receive a full refund or comparable ticket to a rescheduled show or game,” said Rep. Frank Pallone (C-NJ).
The STOP Act also helps consumers know if they’re buying a ticket from the primary seller or a secondary marketplace. The bill would require ticket sellers to provide buyers with a “a clear and conspicuous statement” that the provider is engaged in the secondary sale of the ticket. In addition, the secondary ticket marketplace cannot state that it is “affiliated with or endorsed by a venue, team, or artist” unless a partnership agreement exists.
Deceptive websites that could mislead ticket buyers are also banned. Ticket providers are prevented from using a domain name or subdomain that contains the name of a specific team, league, venue, performance or artist — including “substantially similar” and misspelled names — unless authorized by the owner of the name. Ticket sellers must also make their refund policies known up front.
Finally, as the name of the bill implies, the STOP Act bans speculative ticketing, in effect barringprimary and secondary ticketing marketplaces from selling tickets they do not possess.
For its part, Live Nation, owner of the country’s largest ticketing company, Ticketmaster, welcomes the new measures. “We’ve long supported a federal all-in pricing mandate, along with other measures including banning speculative ticketing and deceptive websites that trick fans,” the company said in a statement. “We’ll continue working with policymakers, advocating for even stronger reforms and enforcement to stop predatory practices that hurt fans and artists.”
Even if the STOP Act passes in the full House, the U.S. Senate must pass a version of the bill for it to become law. Two similar bills have already been introduced in the Senate. Like the STOP Act, the TICKET Act, introduced by Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), would prevent hidden ticket fees, require upfront pricing and stop speculative ticket selling. The Unlocking Ticketing Markets Act, introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), would limit exclusive, multi-year ticketing contracts in live entertainment.