Sold by Ticketmaster, platinum tickets are allotment of seats sold at premium prices that fluctuates based on market conditions. Ticketmaster contends that these tickets cut out scalpers and allow more money to go into the pocket of artists.
However, Young – who will headline at Glastonbury 2025 – said that the diversion of increasing amounts of cash to the artist makes him uncomfortable. In a statement on his own website, the Heart of Gold singer wrote: “Ticketmaster’s high-priced Platinum tickets were introduced to the areas where scalpers were buying the most tickets for resale. The money went to me. That did not feel right.
“I have decided to let the people work this out. Buy aggressively when the tickets come out or tickets will cost a lot more in a secondary market.”
Getting “the best deal”
In the statement, Young cited The Cure’s Robert Smith, who explained in an interview why his band had stopped using “dynamic pricing”. Ticketmaster denies that the Platinum ticket model is an example of dynamic pricing.
Young explained that his team’s acceptance of Platinum ticketing was initially driven by their attempts to get him “the best deal”. They were also determined that scalpers would not prosper at the expense of ordinary fans.
He added: “My management and agent have always tried to cover my back on the road, getting me the best deals they could. They have tried to protect me and my fans from the scalpers who buy the best tickets and resell them at huge increases for their own profits.”
In the interview cited by Young, Smith said modern ticketing practices were “driven by greed,” adding, “We didn’t allow dynamic pricing because it’s a scam that would disappear if every artist said, ‘I don’t want that!’ But most artists hide behind management. ‘Oh, we didn’t know,’ they say. They all know. If they say they do not, they’re either f***ing stupid or lying.”