Whether it helps you get through your day, a workout or just a simple car ride, music is the one thing that everyone on the planet shares. And while that’s maybe a little deep and heavy to think about, one thing that’s not as black and white is the taste that different people have in choosing what they want blasting through their speakers. Depending on a number of different factors, what people listen to isn’t always age or gender specific, with people listening to a wide variety of artists and genres thanks to the accessibility that we all have to streaming music and such. But, as well know, actually attending a live concert is a completely different animal, as it takes a serious commitment to, not only pay high prices, but then to actually show up and like the artist who’s headlining. After doing some research with a few different ticket-selling sites, I was interested in finding out which artists topped the charts in concert prices, though—and a few of them surprised me. Admittedly, there were a few who were right where I thought they would be, but others proved that they have a much larger following than a music-lover like myself would ever imagine they would. So who tops the list of the eight artists with the highest priced tickets to a show? Keep reading and you’ll get your answer—and, who knows, you may have seen these artists live at some point this past year, too.
8. Iggy Azalea – $94
One of the newest additions to the rankings, 23-year-old Aussie rapper Igga Azalea may have enjoyed a short, 14-date tour from late-April to late-May, but that was still enough to put her on this list with an average ticket price of $94. Still a somewhat unknown in the music scene, Iggy has shown to be one of the most talented and continues to expand her following, making her a force that could be reckoned with for years to come.
7. Sara Bareilles – $154
In the first surprise of the list, singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles has found that her popularity into the mainstream has certainly effected her standing amongst the highest-priced tickets in all of music. Like a few others on this list, though, Bareilles may benefit from the few tour dates that she actually had, playing live in just 26 venues as opposed to other tours that spanned six or seven months. That’s not to take away anything from the pianist, though, as she has shown to have a worldwide following and interest from various fans around the world. It’s not hard to imagine Bareilles continue to climb these rankings thanks to her more intimate shows.
6. Miley Cyrus – $195
She might be a bit obnoxious and we all might try and say we can’t stand her, but singer Miley Cyrus has proven to be nearly everyone’s guilty pleasure. And if you need more proof, look no further than her being in the top-8 of the most expensive tickets this year. She may still be 21 years old and relying on her outrageous personality as much as her music, but Miley has shown to appeal to the masses, making her one of the biggest draws in all of music. With her 64-date Bangerz tour this year, she continued to give her fans what they want—more Miley!
5. Lady Gaga – $230
The current Queen of Pop, Lady Gaga may find herself in the middle of the pack on this list, but, make no mistake, the singer is still an absolute powerhouse when it comes to drawing a crowd. With an average ticket price of $230, Gaga had fans coming out in the millions for her ArtRAVE tour this past year, playing 71 different dates from early-May to the middle of November and traveling to four separate continents. With such worldwide appeal, it’s no wonder she continues to burn up the charts and sellout nearly every venue she performs at.
4. Katy Perry – $263
Booking more than 107 dates for her massive Prismatic World Tour, pop singer Katy Perry has seen a major benefit in her earnings thanks to so many different shows around the world. On the road from early-May to the middle of December, Perry has a chance to continue her rise to the top of this list in the coming years—as long as she keeps producing the hits that she has over her past few albums. With a strong following around the globe, Katy Perry has shown to be a powerhouse in all different channels of her music.
3. Lana Del Ray – $270
This is arguably the biggest surprise of any artist on this list, because, in my opinion, I had no idea Indie artist Lana Del Ray was so big. While Del Ray has seemingly gotten bigger over the past few years—especially amongst college kids—seeing her command $270 per ticket is a big shock. A major contributing factor in the singer’s rise is the amount of live shows that she actually plays, opting for less live options than that of global tours like the pop stars that are below her on this list have thanks to sponsors and such. Still, it’s quite impressive.
2. Beyonce and Jay Z – $306
With two of the biggest draws in music sharing one stage together, there shouldn’t be a single person who is surprised to see the husband and wife pair of Beyonce and Jay Z sitting so high on this list. Coming in with a whopping price of just over $300 for a ticket during their tour together, fans were able to hear a compilation of hits the two have recorded together over the past decade or so. On top of that, they were in the news for a few other reasons, too—with rumors of their split—meaning the demand to see them together was even higher.
1. Justin Timberlake – $339
Forget the fact that Justin Timberlake didn’t have an album released in seven years, because fans were still in love of the former boy band member, coming out in packs to see him perform over the past year on his 20/20 Experience Tour. Seeing how Timberlake’s album bearing the same name was the best-selling album of 2013, it only made sense that so many people wanted to live out the songs live, showing that they weren’t afraid of the high cost of tickets that commanded an average price of nearly $340. I guess when you like a musician, you’ll spend whatever it takes to see them.
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