Leading music stars from around the world, including Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Sam Fender, Radiohead, and The Cure, have appealed to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to take stronger action against online ticket profiteers. The group, comprising over 40 artists, wants the government to fulfill its election promise to protect fans.
Leading artists, including Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Sam Fender, Radiohead, and The Cure, have called the lack of fan protection in the UK, while similar regulations exist in Ireland and Australia, a move that hasn’t surprised them, given the widespread artist support.
Smith said, “With government support, we can move to a fair system where genuine fans can only buy tickets at the original price.”
The Ministry of Culture, in a statement, said the government is “determined against ticket profiteers” and will “take further steps to put fans at the heart of live events.” It stated that data from the consultation process is being evaluated and plans will be announced soon.
The letter also included calls from artists such as PJ Harvey, Mark Knopfler, Amy MacDonald, Iron Maiden, and Nick Cave, urging the government to announce the regulation “as soon as possible” and to include a price cap for the next King’s Speech. It was emphasized that this step would “restore trust in the ticketing system” and “democratize access to the arts.”
Findings published by Which? revealed that busy sellers in Brazil, Dubai, Singapore, Spain and the US were buying tickets for popular US events in bulk and relisting them at high prices on sites like StubHub and Viagogo. A BBC investigation in the summer also showed a similar bulk ticket buying and resale network for concerts in the UK.
Examples of speculative sales were also found, where tickets were listed on second-hand sites before they were even purchased. Which?’s consumer law expert Lisa Webb said the joint statement released on Thursday was “a clear indication that artists, fan organizations and consumers reject the current, corrupted ticket market.”
Platforms like Viagogo and StubHub argue that the price cap could drive customers to unregulated sites and social media, increasing the risk of fraud. Despite resale being completely banned in the Premier League, a recent BBC investigation revealed a black market for match tickets reaching tens of thousands of pounds.
