Singer Olivia Dean has secured partial refunds from Ticketmaster and AXS after tickets for her North American tour went on resale at exorbitant prices. Some tickets were priced at 14 times their original value, exceeding $1,000, sparking outrage.
In an open letter published last week, Dean described the ticketing industry as “exploitative” and “ridden with inequality,” urging companies to “do better.” Following the backlash, Ticketmaster announced it would cap resale prices for Dean’s tour and “begin refunding fans for overpaid amounts.” Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said, “We share Olivia’s call for live music to remain accessible.” Dean, one of the breakout stars of the year – who simultaneously had four songs in the UK Top 20 – described the secondary ticket market as “unregulated and open to abuse” in an Instagram statement. He stressed that artists and their teams should have the right to limit resale prices to face value before tickets go on sale. Ticketmaster and AXS allow some artists to set resale limits, but this option was not available for Dean’s tour during the initial sales phase. The UK government recently announced plans to ban the resale of tickets for concerts, theatre and sporting events above their original price. Artists, including Coldplay and Dua Lipa, have stated that this practice will prevent “excessive and harmful pricing.” Dean, in an additional statement on Thursday night, reiterated the importance of price caps, saying, “Merchants are stealing from artists and fans; creating inequality and panic.” He emphasized that “Live performances are sacred to us,” and stressed their commitment to maintaining accessibility at all their shows: “We have to speak out for a fair resale market that every artist deserves.” The artist concluded his message by saying, “You don’t feel heard every day; today is a good day.”
