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Olivia Dean secures fan refunds after slamming 'exploitative' ticket resale market
British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean has condemned the concert ticketing industry as "exploitative" and "rife with inequality," prompting Ticketmaster and AXS to issue partial refunds to fans who paid inflated resale prices for her North American tour. Some tickets had surged to over 14 times their original value, exceeding $1,000 (£750).
Open letter sparks industry response
Dean publicly criticized the practice in an open letter last week, labeling it "disgusting" and "vile" while urging ticketing companies to "do better." Her intervention led to Ticketmaster announcing on Wednesday that it would cap resale rates for her upcoming shows and refund fans who had already overpaid through its platform.
Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation Entertainment-Ticketmaster's parent company-stated, "We share Olivia's desire to keep live music accessible and ensure fans have the best access to affordable tickets." While acknowledging limitations on controlling third-party marketplaces, Rapino affirmed the company's commitment to "lead by example."
Artist calls for systemic change
Dean, whose rapid rise includes four simultaneous UK Top 20 hits this year, doubled down on her critique via Instagram. She described the secondary ticket market as "an exploitative and unregulated space" and called on the industry to grant artists the automatic right to cap resale prices at face value before tickets go on sale.
"Every artist and their team should be granted the option to cap resale at face value ahead of [tickets going] on sale, to keep the live music space accessible for all."
Olivia Dean, Instagram post
Her demands echo recent actions by artists like Hayley Williams and Chappell Roan, who successfully enforced resale caps on their tours-a measure apparently overlooked during Dean's initial ticket release.
UK government cracks down on resale markups
The controversy aligns with broader regulatory shifts. The UK government recently unveiled plans to ban reselling concert, theater, and sports tickets above their original price, following pressure from major artists including Coldplay and Dua Lipa. In an open letter, they condemned "extortionate and pernicious" resale prices, arguing that capping markups would "restore faith in the ticketing system" and "democratise public access to the arts."
Dean's plea for fairness and connection
In a follow-up message on Thursday, Dean framed live performances as a "sacred space" cultivated over a decade, emphasizing her team's financial sacrifices to keep shows affordable. She accused touts of "stealing from artists and fans" while fostering inequality, and reiterated that capping resale prices is "your right."
"We lose money on nearly every show but feel passionately it is a worthy investment to create a moment for people to connect. [...] It's not every day that you feel heard and understood, so today is a good day."
Olivia Dean, Instagram post
Her advocacy underscores a growing push for transparency in an industry where artists and fans increasingly challenge unchecked resale practices.
