Gigflation: the 10 bands that half of the UK cannot afford to see perform and the areas affected the most

• A new study has shown that nearly half of Brits can no longer afford to go to concerts.
• The research, conducted by Dacia, suggests that on average over £5,000 is spent on ‘non-essential’ experiences including concerts and festivals.
• So who are the artists that are considered “unaffordable” to watch live and is gigflation a national problem or just in pockets of the UK?

Is the tradition of going out with friends to see a concert becoming a thing of the past? Not yet, but a study conducted by Dacia suggests a worrying trend for venues and promoters.

The company undertook research earlier in the month (November 2024) to determine what concerts are considered to no longer be within the remit of affordability for fans and the locations where ‘gigflation’ is being felt the most.

From the research, Dacia found that 42% of Brits can no longer afford to go and see their favourite bands play, with the cost of ‘non-essential’ experiences, such as going to festivals or concerts, now accounts for a cost of £5,661 annually.

Nearly half of those surveyed (49%) admitted that they are more than likely to overspend to go to a festival, such as Glastonbury, or a concert, with patience for many gig goers starting to wane even before attending the event. 

On average, those wanting to get tickets are spending around 1 hour 20 minutes sitting in a virtual ‘queue’ to ultimately find out how much a gig would cost them - and 19% believe that the ‘controversial’ practice of dynamic pricing is to blame for many no longer going to gigs.

What does the public think could help solve the problem? Well, an overwhelming majority (85%) have called for the practice of dynamic pricing to be scrapped entirely, while over half of those surveyed (58%) think that concert ticket prices should not exceed the £75 mark.

But with ‘gigflation’ being caused by a number of factors, including supply-and-demand chains and inflation, the chances of a price cap for tickets might be a long shot.

So who are those artists that are now considered “unaffordable” to watch live, and is ‘gigflation’ a problem across the United Kingdom or just in particular areas of the country?

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The science part

Dacia’s research was carried out by Censuswide, where 2,000 nationally representative UK respondents took part between the dates of 06/11/2024 and 07/11/2024.

Who are the ten bands that are now unaffordable to watch live?

No surprises that both Oasis and Taylor Swift topped the list according to the study, with both artists at the centre of a cause celebre when their tickets finally went on sale. Though Coldplay, who had assured fans of a cap on their ticket prices, are still viewed as a band whose ticket prices are still out of reach for many fans. 

Surprisingly, given that he is held in such high esteem and his concerts “must-see” events, Bruce Springsteen is still considered an affordable ticket to watch live with the E Street Band when compared to the likes of Take That, P!nk and Dua Lipa.

The ‘unaffordable’ top ten artists.

1. Oasis
2. Taylor Swift
3. Coldplay
4. Elton John
5. Take That
6. P!nk
7. Dua Lipa
8. Bruce Springsteen
9. Harry Styles
10. The Weeknd

What areas of the United Kingdom are affected the most by gigflation?

Belfast tops the list when it comes to areas of the UK affected by gigflation, owing to how many massive artists seem to omit the area when embarking on the UK leg of their European shows. That’s followed closely by Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh, three locations that are usually tour destinations for big artists (see: Taylor Swift, Oasis).

Surprisingly (again), London is ranked lower down on the list but part of that is theorised due to economic inequities that other areas, such as Sheffield or Newcastle, face compared to the local economy in London. 

The ten areas of the UK gigflation has affected the most.

1. Belfast
2. Glasgow
3. Manchester
4. Edinburgh
5. Brighton
6. Southampton
7. Newcastle
8. Sheffield
9. London
10. Liverpool

Do you agree that dynamic pricing should be scrapped or that there should be a price cap on music festivals and gigs, or do you think that’s the price we have to pay now to see high-profile artists in the UK? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.