Post Malone (l), Meghan Trainor (c), and Zayn Malik (r) have all recently canceled some US performances|Chrisallmeid; Ronald Woan; First Access Entertainment|CC BY-SA 4.0; CC BY-SA 2.0; CC BY-SA 3.0
The US live music industry is facing “blue dot fever,” so named for the blue dots that indicate unsold seats on Ticketmaster.
The Pussycat Dolls are the latest artists to scale down a US tour amid weak demand. It is also the only group to have openly acknowledged soft sales for canceling.
Other artists who recently canceled performances across the US include Zayn Malik, Meghan Trainor, and Post Malone.
According to industry experts, high concert ticket prices and the recent rise in gas prices, averaging $4.50 a gallon, are discouraging fans from attending shows.
Between 2019 and 2024, average primary-market ticket prices surged 41.3%, rising from $96.17 to $135.92, per Pollstar.
These factors have made traveling and the whole experience more expensive than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
High entry costs, such as rapper Post Malone’s $682 floor seats and $935 VIP packages, are clashing with rising logistics expenses.
Additionally, music and sports fans are at a crossroads. Due to high costs, most have to choose between attending concerts and watching the once-in-four-years FIFA World Cup, which the US is hosting. Tickets and travel for the matches are also proving expensive.