Fear Of Selling Out (FOSO) is replacing Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) for Australian music fans when it comes to top-end international events, says a new report.
Despite scams and escalating ticket prices, demand remains strong.
Recent Pollstar data showed that in the last 12 months, the top six promoters alone sold 8,382,834 tickets, with a US gross of $922,206,327 (AU$1.41 billion).
The Top 5 stadiums shifted 1.51 million tickets and grossed US$226.9 million (AU$323.5 million).
Two examples of hot commodity include Olivia Dean and Radiohead. Dean has apparently sold 80,000 to 83,000 tickets across her five East Coast arena shows through Handsome Tours.
But there are still 70,000 waiting on secondary ticket platform Tixel’s resale list – making it one of the largest waitlists for any Australian tour.
Unconfirmed reports have Radiohead shifting 250,000 to 300,000 on their sold-out 16 shows in May and June 2027 through Frontier Touring. Meantime, 10,000 are tapping their fingers on standby if any tickets become available.
Promoters of international tours confirm to The Music concert demand in Australia has never been higher, especially for international superstars. Of course, this has left little money for Australian acts, and mid-tier global names.
Tixel’s new Future Of Ticketing Report: The Live Equation 2030 shows that live events are not just considered as entertainment. They have strong emotional and social pulls.
For 78% of respondents, they are a good bonding experience with social and family circles. 70% see them as a form of emotional release.
Over half of respondents say the price of a ticket determines if they attend. But well over that figure signal they don’t mind paying if they get more bang for their buck.
“A great line-up used to be enough on its own and it’s still important,” according to Tixel CEO and co-founder Zac Leigh. “But now the whole event has to deliver: the atmosphere, the production, the experience of being there with people who care as much as you do.”
Aside from more spectacular productions and wider experiences, promoters are also expected to offer a certainty of the show before the consumer will commit.
Aussie audiences also expect more from promoters, the live sector and governments in protecting them.
17%, or about one in six, were victims of ticket fraud in the past 12 months. Age-wise, the figure rose to 30% among Gen Z buyers compared to 13% of those over 30.
There are more grounds for concern. 38% reckon they pay significantly inflated resale prices, with that figure up to 57% from Gen Z.
A high 81% want stronger and clearer rules for ticketing platforms. 72% blame bots and professional brokers for contributing to inflated resale prices, while 70% are of the belief that it’s getting harder for genuine fans to access major music events at fair prices.
Tixel emphasises fraudulent activity takes place outside regulated marketplaces,
Tixel co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Jason Webb warns, "When fans get burned, it’s nearly always on social media or unregulated platforms, not on legitimate resale platforms that verify tickets and cap prices.
“Scammers are only going to get more sophisticated as technology advances, so platforms built to shut them out aren’t a nice-to-have, they’re essential, both today and into the future.”
The Price Is Shite
Despite frenzied activity at the top end, promoters find ticket prices remain an issue for a delay in committing. 63% of Australian consumers see price as a barrier.
During the launch event’s panel discussion, Untitled Group’s promoter Paige Roy cited a “lack of urgency” to commit to buying.
She also noted promoters have less influence over the decision to attend as social media becomes a bigger driver of discovery and conversation around events.
CG Live music manager Toby McKinnon said audiences are regularly leaving it until the last minute. “We can sell 30% of tickets on show day,” he revealed.
Between 2022 and 2023, ticket prices climbed by 47% from $87.01 to $128.21 for a standard live event, according to Live Performance Australia.
These days a standard arena/stadium can start from $190, while massive tours begin at $300 to $500. VIP packages can be over $1,250.
Meantime the advent of “dynamic pricing” has some in the live music industry worried concert tickets could become a luxury item.
Tixel found different ages reacted in different ways to the question if they would not attend if they considered a ticket was too much.
Only 19% of Gen Z said they’d change their plans. It was 26% for Millennials. It was a no-go for 42% of Gen X and up to a stern 56% of Baby Boomers pulled the kill-switch.
Five Forces
Looking at how Australian consumer behaviour has changed, Tixel identifies five forces.
Force 1: Better Together
Tixel says: “Ticketing is built for one person with one card. Demand arrives in groups.”
The herd instinct kicks in from the start, when 49% hear about live events from friends and family, ahead of every other channel.
20% of them wait for a friend to commit before they go ahead and buy (the figure is 27% for Gen Z). In fact 7% do not attend because they could not find someone to go with.
Tixel identifies 22% are “instigators” – the ones who round up the group to commit to a show, and might even pay up front for the others.
The report notes: “The group opens the door. The line-up and the price close the sale.”
Force 2: Elevated Experiences
Fans run two tests at the same time. There is the decision over whether to flip open the wallet. But up to 70% expect promoters will deliver more expensive productions, atmospherics and increase their all-round experience at the show.
Force 3: The Happiness Shortcut
75% see live events as a form of emotional release, not just entertainment or an occasional treat.
Notably, 62% expect the emotional journey of a live music event to matter more than the setlist.
For 52%, the hype before, during and after an event is often as enjoyable as the event itself.
Force 4: The Certainty Premium
Consumers demand certainty. In the report, 79% will rather pay more for a verified, guaranteed ticket than save money on an uncertain one.
For all their enthusiasm, a high number of fans (82%) believe platforms and the wider industry need stronger, clearer rules to stay fair.
67% will buy a ticket if they can resell them if their plans change.
There remains great dissatisfaction in consumerland. 46% have paid what they considered a significantly inflated price on a resale ticket.
Additionally, 23% experienced ticket fraud in the last 12 months.
Force 5: Living In The Algorithm Age
There seems a slight shift in allowing algorithms to make recommendations.
77% see live events as a break from algorithms, automation and digital overload. 68% complain that the rise of algorithms and AI is making it harder to know which recommendations to trust.
Only 6% trust AI or automated recommendations when deciding whether to attend. 42% rely on friends and family.
At the same time, consumers expect technology to make buying and selling tickets a more enjoyable experience. 64% expect it to make it easier, and 55% think it should make it less risky.
Versus The World
The results of The Future Of Ticketing Report: The Live Equation 2030 came from global research firm Kantar surveying in mid-2026 5,107 people across the US, UK, and Australia.
In comparison:
Only 1 in 6 Australians report ticket fraud in the past 12 months, compared to 15% in the UK and 29% in the US.
Australians report the lowest experience of inflated resale prices, at 36% compared to 49% of those in the UK and 56% of Americans.
Australians have the strongest pre-sales at 20%, with 15% in the UK and 13% in the US.
65% say knowing they can resell if plans change increases their confidence to buy. That is level with the UK and US.
The decision to attend relies on trusting ticketing or event platforms. The trust is felt by 49% of Australians, level with those in the UK, and 43% in the US.
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
