Gigflation: The exorbitant cost of seeing gigs in 2025 - compared to the same shows in 2005

• 2025’s biggest issue in the music scene happens to be one that affects many audiences across the UK.
• With smaller venues closing and acts adopting more arena shows than traditional tours, could that be the reason why ticket prices have skyrocketed in recent years?
• Digital marketing experts Dark Horse studied some of 2025’s biggest concerts and how ticket prices have increased over a period of 20 years.

When did the price of going to a concert become almost akin to a monthly mortgage payment in 2025?

That might sound like hyperbole, but if there has been one predominant issue in the world of music throughout the past year, it once again stems from the price of seeing some of our favourite artists when they tour the United Kingdom.

Be it dynamic pricing or the cost of logistics for shipping entire stage productions to the country, there seems to be a real problem as more and more people are struggling to afford what was once considered a beloved pastime for many Brits.

But there is more to these costs than simply musicians and management wanting a bigger slice of the pie; other contributing factors also have to be taken into account, including a lack of smaller, grassroots venues, dwindling physical album sales and, according to today’s study, the consolidation of tour venues into arena-centric schedules.

Bigger venues, bigger crowds – and of course, with that, bigger expenses to cover.

Digital marketing experts Dark Horse analysed concert tickets for a selection of top artists, comparing the price in 2005 to 2025, to see whether the cost of seeing them live had kept in line with inflation or outstripped it, and how the UK’s median hourly wage compares to the cost of tickets.

They sourced the cost of tickets 20 years ago through ticket stub archives and eBay, and compared them to the face value price many paid for to see some of this year’s biggest shows.

Sadly, their findings demonstrate a trend that could see concerts, with many music fans priced out of going to shows, sooner rather than later.

How much have concert ticket prices risen since 2005?

Of the artists that Dark Horse sampled, they showed that ticket prices have far outpaced inflation over the years.

The average ticket price for the artists listed has risen from £34.82 in 2005 to £132.90 in 2025, representing an average increase of over 280% over the two decades. If prices had kept pace with inflation, the average ticket price would only be around £60.61 today, highlighting that the actual increase is more than double the rate of inflation.

The price hikes are also more drastic with some artists compared to others; while Robbie Williams and Busted have managed to maintain a low, affordable price to see them perform, the spike in the cost to see Beyoncé on tour was the most dramatic.

In 2005, to see her perform would cost fans £27.50, but in 2025, to see her on the ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour, fans were expected to stump up £224.85 - an increase of 718%. It’s a similar situation with Oasis, who in 2005 could be seen for a mere £32.50 to £148.50 - an increase of 357%.

That’s if you managed to avoid dynamic pricing for those shows, too.

How many hours would I have had to work to see Oasis back in 2005?

Though Oasis, according to the study, are hardly the worst when it comes to ticket price increases, they have been the talking point throughout the last eight months when it comes to the price of concerts, and again, the problems with a dynamic pricing model.

In 2005, you would have to work 3 hours and 1 minute on a median UK hourly wage to see Oasis on tour, but two decades later, that has increased to 7 hours and 56 minutes on a median UK hourly wage to see them play.

Compare that to Robbie Williams (not to cause issues between the two artists), in 2005, it would take 4 hours and 11 minutes to pick up a ticket to see the former Take That member. In 2025, that has only increased by 14 minutes (4 hours 25 minutes) to grab a ticket; a similar situation with Busted too, according to the study.

What has led to the increase in concert ticket prices?

It clearly can’t just be inflation, right?

If we were to adjust ticket prices in line with inflation, a ticket to see Oasis in 2025 should have cost £57.20, while to see Coldplay would have cost £62.40, according to Dark Horse’s study.

There are several factors considered why concert tickets have become a luxury rather than a privilege; AJ Sutherland, a production manager who has worked with artists like Tate McRae and Mura Masa, explained that the surge in concert ticket prices is a trend rooted in the economics of the modern music business.

He connects this shift to the decline of physical music sales, the rise of streaming, and the consolidation of tours into arena-centric schedules.

"Back in 2005, artists might have played 20 club shows across the UK," Sutherland notes. "Now they do four arena gigs in major cities and make the same ticket sales in a fraction of the time.” He adds that this new model is not only more efficient but also far more profitable for major artists.

Despite the financial benefits for top-tier acts, Sutherland also highlights the serious negative impact on the wider music ecosystem; this shift has led to the closure of grassroots venues, reduced touring opportunities for independent artists, and left fans facing premium prices with a limited choice of shows.

Production costs have also driven up the price of putting on concerts, from the cost of fuel for our buses and trucks, wages for an entire crew of lighting techs, to the price of renting state-of-the-art equipment and the venues themselves have escalated dramatically.

But the industry shift, in an era where physical and streaming sales are not what they once were, newer 360 deals might have a part to play in the increase in ticket prices.

Traditional record deals would see a label’s primary source of income coming from a percentage of album sales, but as that is no longer viable, more and more labels have adopted 360 deals that take a cut not only of their music sales, but other revenue streams too including a cut of any live performances.

This partnership with the label can lead to a stronger effort to push for higher ticket prices, more expensive VIP packages, and a wider range of high-cost offerings to increase the total revenue generated from a tour, shifting the entire focus from simply selling records to monetising the artist's brand and live performance at every opportunity.

As Dark Horse concluded their study, the question does seem incredibly pertinent: is the joy of live music becoming financially inaccessible?

Do you think that musicians or labels have a responsibility to ensure fans can still see their shows without going into financial ruin, or is it simply a case of supply meeting demand? Let us know your thoughts - or how we can fix the problem - by leaving your comments and ideas below.