Mercury prize nominee, Olivia Dean has prompted Ticketmaster to refund fans who overpaid for resale tickets to her US shows. While artists can already cap resale prices on the platform, Dean’s public criticism pushed the company to take the extra step of covering the cost of refunds themselves.
Tickets for Dean’s shows sold out, but resale tickets on Ticketmaster were being sold at higher prices. Dean publicly criticised the platforms, telling Live Nation and AEG that allowing resold tickets to be marked up was “vile and completely against our wishes”. She also described the situation as “a disgusting service” and said, “Live music should be affordable and accessible and we need to find a new way of making that possible. BE BETTER.”
Following her social media protest, Ticketmaster capped the resale prices for her tour and then confirmed that fans who had already paid inflated resale prices would receive partial refunds. The company stated, “In early December, fans who purchased resale tickets on Ticketmaster will receive partial refunds reflecting the difference between the original tour price and the higher price charged by the reseller.” Ticketmaster added, “Ticketmaster does not receive the markup on those tickets but is stepping in to absorb this refund cost for fans.”
As Complete Music Update reports, Dean has also encouraged other artists to take action on ticketing policies. She told other musicians, “Capping resale at face value is your right and we have a duty to encourage a fair resale market,” and added, “We are often made to feel we don’t have a choice, but there is always space to ask why and it is always your right to say no!” She later reflected on the quick response, saying, “It’s not every day that you feel heard and understood, so today is a good day.”
Live Nation’s CEO, Michael Rapino, also commented on the developments, emphasising the company’s support for Dean’s goal of making live music more affordable. He acknowledged that while Ticketmaster cannot enforce resale limits on independent resale platforms such as StubHub or Viagogo, Live Nation aimed to set a positive example. In his statement, Rapino said the company shared Dean’s desire to “keep live music accessible and ensure fans have the best access to affordable tickets” and encouraged the wider industry to “do better.”
Looking ahead, the UK government has announced a new rule that will make it illegal to resell tickets above their original price. Once this comes into force, fans will be protected from inflated resale prices, ensuring more affordable access to live music. In the US, resale remains uncapped unless an artist specifically requests a limit, which makes Dean’s intervention particularly notable.
Olivia Dean’s actions show that artists can have a direct impact on how tickets are sold and resold, helping ensure live events remain accessible to audiences.
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