Last Updated on: 22nd November 2023, 05:11 pm
Tickets for Beyonce’s UK tour have been estimated to cost fans a whopping £170 at face value – making the show one of the most expensive that UK music fans have ever seen.
Once these huge tours sell out, tickets only become more expensive for people who missed out, as ticket touts who have bought up massive amounts of tickets re-sell them for hugely inflated prices.
However, research from BuyNFT.com suggests that NFTs may be the surprising solution to the ticket tout problem.
Following the revelation that as many as 12% of all gig tickets sold are fraudulent, some music artists including the likes of Clean Bandit and Gucci Mane have adopted NFT tickets for their latest tours.
The non-fungible nature of NFTs means that their authenticity can be easily identified and almost impossible to replicate as a fake. The nature in which people would own an NFT ticket compared to a regular paper ticket or e-ticket means that NFT tickets are much easier to transfer safely, in a scenario where the ticket owner cannot attend their event.
With this in mind, BuyNFT.com has shared some of the most expensive UK tours of all time. Would it be better for fans if any of these huge artists adopted the NFT ticket policy?
10. Adele Live 2016/17
With an 18× platinum album, 16 Grammy awards, 12 Brit awards, an Academy award, and a Golden Globe Award, it’s safe to say Adele is one of the most influential and admired artists in history.
In 2015 Adele announced her enormous UK and European tour, Adele Live, which saw tickets range from a reasonable £35 – £95.
However, tickets for her Wembley shows appeared on resale websites for a staggering £9,000 despite the singer’s efforts to battle touts.
9. Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever 2022
American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish is well known for making music history despite her young age.
In 2020 and at the tender age of 18, Billie was the youngest artist in Grammy history to be nominated in all four top categories, as well as the youngest to take home all four.
Tickets for the Happier Than Ever tour saw seated and standing tickets range between £39 – £98.35, with Platinum Tickets ranging from a slightly more eye-watering price of £177 – £227.
8. Justin Bieber – Justice World Tour 2022/23
Justin Bieber is one of the biggest pop stars of this generation and has amassed a huge following around the globe, breaking records and countless hearts over his 14-year career.
Tickets for the Justice World Tour went on sale in late 2021, with fans faced with ticket prices ranging from a reasonable £59 to a more hefty price of £227.75, depending on seating level and package.
However, last year Bieber announced that all the UK Justice Tour dates will be postponed as the star revealed he needs to take a break from touring to focus on his health.
7. Beyoncé – Mrs. Carter Show World Tour 2013
Back in 2013, Queen Bey embarked on her fifth concert tour The Mrs. Carter Show which saw tickets sell out in minutes as the star announced tickets would be more affordable to ensure all fans could attend.
Tickets sold for roughly £60 – £90 at face value with some unfortunately listed on resale sites for thousands of pounds each.
6. Harry Styles – Love on Tour 2022/23
Harry Styles is a global pop icon who shot to fame as a member of One Direction, his former boyband. Since going solo, Styles has broke numerous records while simultaneously wowing audiences as a fashion icon.
Tickets for the ongoing Love on Tour shows ranged from £50.65 – £199.00, depending on seating level and package.
However, the 3-time grammy winner came under fire from fans on Twitter last year after platinum ticket prices for his 2023 shows skyrocketed to a staggering £330 as a result of “surging” prices.
5. The Weeknd – After Hours Til Dawn Tour 2022-23
The Weeknd is no stranger to chart domination thanks to his innovative sound. He currently holds the top spot for having the most monthly listeners on Spotify with over 97.8 million regularly streaming his hits.
The ongoing After Hours Til Dawm Tour saw ticket prices range between a respectable £52.25 to a heftier £384.90, depending on seating level and package.
4. The Rolling Stones – 50 & Counting Tour
Active for six decades, The Rolling Stones remain one of the most popular and influential bands of the rock era and have amassed eight number one singles and 12 number one albums.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the band, The Rolling Stones embarked on their ‘50 & Counting Tour’ which sold £24 million worth of tickets.
However, the band reportedly came under fire when they announced tickets for the tour would cost between £95 and £375. However, that didn’t stop the band from having sell-out shows in London that shifted as many as 31,755 tickets.
3. Elton John – Farewell Yellow Brick Road
Ranging from a reasonable £35.99, all the way up to an eye-watering £425, some fans were left saying farwell to their savings when they grabbed tickets for Elton John’s Farwell Yellow Brick Road tour.
With shows taking place in March 2023, would this final chance to see the ‘Rocket Man’ singer perform live be worth breaking the bank for?
2. Taylor Swift Reputation Tour 2018
From country star to pop icon, Taylor Swift is no stranger to record-breaking albums and stadium-selling tours making her one of the biggest names in the industry.
In 2018, ticket prices for Swift’s six UK and Ireland Reputation Tour dates ranged from £62 to £585 depending on the level of seating and package.
However, fans were reportedly put off by the pricey ticket prices which meant the popstar struggled to fill stadium seats, selling just 38,000 out of 56,000 tickets for her opening night.
1. Madonna Celebration 2023
The first release started at a relatively affordable £47, but the cost of a ticket soars up to £1,307 for VIP packages.
The tour will mark Madonna’s first shows in the UK since a multi-date residency at the London Palladium in February 2020.
