Enjoying music is fast becoming one of the most expensive hobbies you could wish for.
From ticket prices to streaming subscriptions and physical records, fans like me are having to break the bank to afford these now-luxuries. What was once a shared and accessible experience now feels out of reach for many.
Solutions are slowly being put in place to cap the prices of concert tickets but vinyl and CDs remain a wild west for exploiting fan enthusiasm.
I have often been enticed by an exclusive vinyl to add to my collection, but it seems collectors have found their limit – coughing up $300 (£222) for a single song.
That’s what ex-KISS bandmember Vinnie Vincent is charging for his latest single. Yet when fans complained, Vinnie told them to stop ‘bitching and moaning’.
In Vinnie’s defence, his 500 plain-sleeve records are signed, and as he usually charges almost $400 for a signed picture, the extra music could be viewed as a bargain. However, the guitarist is not alone when it comes to charging wild prices for his work.
Artists must balance making money without insulting the very people who keep them in business. And unfortunately, greed seems to be winning out.
As we enter 2026, here’s a resolution for them that actually matters: stop ripping off your fans.
I’ve paid out numerous times for overpriced concert tickets. Grabbing two Oasis tickets felt like a double-edged sword as £215 swiftly left my bank; Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter tour set me back £160 for one seated ticket, and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour were £173 a pop.
All unforgettable gigs for which I have zero regrets splashing out on … but I can only do that so often, and it’s becoming the norm.
Then there’s the records. Hayley Williams’ Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party was where my enthusiasm ran out as the liquid-filled record – Bad World Vaults, a company specialising in such releases – retailed for £65 before shipping.
For me, that was simply too much, even if it was one of my top albums of the year.
Would you pay more than £200 for a concert ticket?
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Yes, I have done – and will do again!
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Only for my very favourite artists
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Never!
When it comes to vinyl releases, special versions are the new standard. Missing out on a limited edition drop means you’re losing out on an exclusive experience reserved for the biggest fans.
They’ve become a status symbol in fanbases that are increasingly obsessive and parasocial. You need all the versions, or at least the most exclusive one, to show how much you love that artist.
Much of the attention and criticism of this overconsumption is focused on Taylor Swift and her different versions for every album.
The singer’s high-profile status means her actions bring maximum attention to a growing industry standard that has real-world consequences. She could make a strong stand by releasing one or two editions of her records, instead of five or six.
She’ll top charts anyway, so she should give us a clear vision with one cover. It’s a much more interesting artistic statement in this day and age – but she isn’t the only one.
Billie Eilish criticised the practice, confessing to Billboard: ‘We’re all going to do it because [it’s] the only way to play the game,’ adding, ‘I can’t even express to you how wasteful it is.’ Yet Billie’s Happier Than Ever still came in eight different versions, and although they were made from recycled vinyl unlike most new records, the greed was transparent.
When Chappell Roan released The Subway through Bad World, fans received an exclusive, one-of-7000 copy vinyl filled with locks of fake hair costing £50 with shipping, However, the colour and density of the strands were inconsistent and reaction was mixed, with many feeling let down.
Yes, fans and collectors could just say no; arguably, there is responsibility on both sides to make all this stop. This industry won’t change unless we demand better: transparency, fair pricing and honest marketing.
And we don’t. We want to support our favourite artists in a time where we know merchandise and touring are the main sources of income, as streaming fails to pay.
The allure of the latest ‘must-have’ item is also hard to push back against, especially when a potential future payoff is ringing in your ears. That Charli XCX powder-filled Brat album? It’s now worth up to £118 on Discogs. Not a bad investment when you consider it originally retailed at £55.
Let’s be honest, though: selling off those multiple coloured versions of the same album won’t make you a millionaire, and there’s no money to be made back from those £150 gig tickets.
The only way this ends is if artists take a stand – and they do have real power.
FKA twigs pulled a pressing last year, with Blood Records commenting that it was due to her team pursuing changes made at the last minute, which they could not accommodate.
While we’re not sure the exact reason, I implore all artists to make sure fans are, at the very least, getting a product worth the money they’ve forked over.
I’d also ask artists to stop encouraging overconsumption of vinyl, which only serves to drive up the price. Put your records around £25 for standards and £45 for any collector’s editions (although I hope they’re few and far between).
It is often an emotional investment, so it is heartbreaking to see this taken for granted with exploitative pricing.
Until musicians decide to stop valuing money over the fans, labels will continue to push this until breaking point. And unless fans start saying no, they’ll boost their profits as much as possible.
I’m not suggesting that fans should stop buying physical media, merch or boycott concerts altogether – but consider buying one variant rather than multiple, and avoid buying every single piece of merch and multiple concerts on the same tour.
This new year, let’s aim for higher standards and accountability, so we can enjoy our favourite artists without worrying about the costs.
And for goodness sake, don’t spend £222 on one song.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk.
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