5 of the 10 most expensive summer tours have stops in Indy. How much could it cost you?
Gametime, an app and site for last-minute ticket sales, has analyzed median ticket prices and found the Top 10 most expensive tickets of the summer — and half of them will or have recently played Indianapolis this year.
The cost of concert tickets has been rising steadily for years, but has come to a head in recent years as live music has returned following COVID-19-related shutdowns.
Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice, 29 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster, alleging it has monopolized live events. Live Nation owns or controls over 260 concert venues in North America — including several of the biggest performance venues in Indianapolis — and it's that dominance that U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland alleged has allowed them to exert control over the industry in ways that harm fans and performers alike.
'Break it up': DOJ sues Live Nation and Ticketmaster to reduce ticket prices
Gametime analyzed the median prices for tickets listed on their site/app for tours in the U.S. between August and September, which is why you won't see artists like Taylor Swift, whose Eras Tour is going international this summer. Their analysis included performers with more than 10 shows but does not include residencies (think: Adele's shows in Las Vegas).
Here's Gametime's list of their Top 10 most expensive summer tours:
Olivia Rodrigo: $963
Bruno Mars: $619.50
Morgan Wallen: $562.50
Pearl Jam: $523
Noah Kahan: $462
Los Bukis: $448
The Rolling Stones: $430
Garth Brooks: $426
Chris Stapleton: $391.50
P!nk: $381
Morgan Wallen and Noah Kahan both played sold-out shows in Indianapolis (Wallen at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, Kahan at Ruoff Music Center on May 31), and Chris Stapleton co-headlined a stop at Lucas Oil with country legend George Strait on May 4. Pearl Jam has limited tickets still available for its August stop at Ruoff — a rescheduled date from last year — and P!nk will headline Lucas Oil this fall.
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USA TODAY contributed. Contact IndyStar pop culture reporter Holly Hays at [email protected]. Follow her on X/Twitter: @hollyvhays.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Morgan Wallen, Noah Kahan and Pink among most expensive summer tickets