Here are the most expensive concert tickets by the minute (Spoiler: Taylor Swift not even close to first)

In an era where concert tickets can cost as much as a month’s rent, music fans are left wondering if their favorite artists are worth the price of admission. A recent study sheds new light on this debate, offering a fresh perspective on concert ticket prices by breaking them down to a cost-per-minute basis. The results? They might surprise you.

The study, which analyzed tour data for 200 of the world’s most popular music artists from 2019 to 2023, reveals that when it comes to getting the most bang for your buck, it’s not always the most obvious artists who offer the best value. In fact, Taylor Swift, whose concerts are known to be among the most expensive, doesn’t even fall into the top 15 when you break it down by the length of the show!

Let’s start with the headline-grabber: Bruno Mars. Known for his electrifying performances and chart-topping hits, Mars tops the list as the most expensive artist to see live, with fans shelling out an average of $2.19 per minute of performance. That’s more than twice the average cost of $0.88 per minute for the world’s most popular musicians. While Mars’ shows are undoubtedly a “Treasure,” some fans might feel like they’re being hit with a financial “Grenade.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we find Korn, the nu-metal band that’s been rocking stages since the ’90s. Korn offers the best value for money, with concerts costing just $0.39 per minute. For fans of heavy guitar riffs and guttural vocals, that’s a bargain that’s hard to beat.

But what about the artists who’ve been making headlines for their ticket prices? Taylor Swift, whose “Eras Tour” caused a ticketing meltdown, comes in at $1.19 per minute. While this might seem steep, it’s important to note that Swift puts on the longest shows of any artist in the study, with an average performance time of 3 hours and 21 minutes. When you consider the sheer amount of music fans are getting, suddenly that price doesn’t seem so bad.

Speaking of show length, it’s worth noting the vast differences between artists. While Swift is giving fans over three hours of music, other popular acts like Queen + Adam Lambert wrap things up in a relatively brisk 2 hours and 13 minutes. The average show length for the world’s most popular musicians? A respectable 1 hour and 58 minutes.

When it comes to overall ticket prices, regardless of show length, U2 takes the crown. The Irish rock legends command an average ticket price of $272, making them the most expensive band to see live. To put that into perspective, for the price of one U2 ticket, you could see two concerts by BTS ($135), Kendrick Lamar ($132), or SZA ($129).

At the other end of the spectrum, Justin Bieber offers the lowest average ticket price at $124, significantly below the overall average of $172 for the world’s most popular musicians. Bieber fans are surely singing “Never Say Never” when it comes to catching their idol live.

But ticket prices and show length aren’t the only factors to consider when evaluating an artist’s worth. The study, conducted by Jeffbet.com, also looked at what they call the “Hard Work Index,” which measures artists based on the number of shows they perform and their earnings per show. By this metric, Christian pop artist Lauren Daigle emerges as the hardest-working musician in the business.

Daigle performed a staggering 238 shows over the four-year period studied, earning an average of $47,899 per show. While that might sound like a lot, it’s a mere 5% of what the average popular musician earns per show. For context, the world’s most popular musicians average 42 concerts a year and earn over $1 million per show. Daigle’s dedication to her craft and her fans is clear, as she opts to perform nearly six times the average number of yearly concerts instead of charging fans more and reducing her performance count.

Is live music worth the cost?

This kind of analysis offers a new way to think about the value of live music. While headlines often focus on sky-high ticket prices for the biggest names in music, this per-minute breakdown reveals a more nuanced picture. It raises interesting questions about what we’re really paying for when we buy a concert ticket. Is it just the music, or is it the entire experience? The production value? The bragging rights?

For some fans, the opportunity to see their favorite artist live, regardless of the cost or length of the show, is priceless. Others might start to view concerts more strategically, weighing factors like show length and ticket price to determine which performances offer the best value.

This study also sheds light on the broader issues facing the live music industry. With the Justice Department looking into Ticketmaster’s near-monopoly on live event tickets, and frequent reports of fans upset by price gouging, it’s clear that the economics of live music are under scrutiny like never before.

Artists, too, are caught in this debate. While some, like Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen, have spoken out against dynamic pricing models and price gouging, they still command some of the highest ticket prices in the industry. This study suggests that, at least in Swift’s case, fans might be getting more for their money than they realize.

As we move forward, it will be interesting to see how this kind of analysis might influence both artist behavior and fan expectations. Will more artists opt for longer shows to justify higher ticket prices? Will fans start demanding more “bang for their buck” in terms of performance time?

One thing is clear: the live music landscape is changing. As ticket prices continue to rise, fans are becoming more discerning about where they spend their hard-earned money. This study provides a valuable tool for making those decisions, allowing music lovers to consider not just the overall cost of a ticket, but the value they’re getting for each minute of performance.

In the end, whether you’re willing to pay $2.19 per minute for Bruno Mars or prefer the budget-friendly option of Korn at $0.39 per minute, the choice is yours. But armed with this information, at least you can make that choice with your eyes – and ears – wide open.

Full List: Concert Ticket Prices Vs. Average Performance Length

Rank	Artist	Cost per Minute	Average Ticket Cost	Average Performance Length
1	Bruno Mars	$2.19	$218	1:40
2	U2	$2.12	$272	2:08
3	Drake	$1.81	$239	2:12
4	The Rolling Stones	$1.78	$207	1:56
5	George Strait	$1.77	$232	2:11
6	Eagles	$1.74	$213	2:02
7	blink-182	$1.53	$144	1:34
8	Beyoncé	$1.39	$209	2:30
9	Kendrick Lamar	$1.39	$132	1:35
10	Morgan Wallen	$1.39	$171	2:03
11	SZA	$1.37	$129	1:34
12	Lady Gaga	$1.31	$172	2:11
13	Red Hot Chili Peppers	$1.26	$126	1:40
14	P!NK	$1.26	$152	2:01
15	Justin Bieber	$1.24	$124	1:40
16	Harry Styles	$1.24	$124	1:40
17	Genesis	$1.22	$176	2:24
18	My Chemical Romance	$1.22	$116	1:35
19	Bad Bunny	$1.19	$161	2:15
20	Taylor Swift	$1.19	$239	3:21
21	Lionel Richie	$1.18	$119	1:41
22	Justin Timberlake	$1.14	$133	1:57
23	Def Leppard	$1.11	$99	1:29
24	Billie Eilish	$1.10	$108	1:38
25	Paul McCartney	$1.08	$174	2:40
26	John Mayer	$1.08	$124	1:55
27	Post Malone	$1.06	$107	1:41
28	Elton John	$1.05	$151	2:24
29	The Weeknd	$1.02	$113	1:51
30	Michael Bublé	$1.02	$112	1:50
31	Queen + Adam Lambert	$1.01	$135	2:13
32	Duran Duran	$1.00	$108	1:48
33	Maroon 5	$0.98	$85	1:28
34	Janet Jackson	$0.97	$106	1:49
35	Billy Joel	$0.97	$139	2:23
36	Lizzo	$0.97	$100	1:43
37	Rod Stewart	$0.96	$111	1:56
38	Depeche Mode	$0.92	$119	2:09
39	The Who	$0.92	$118	2:09
40	Sam Smith	$0.91	$82	1:30
41	Tyler, The Creator	$0.91	$77	1:24
42	Shania Twain	$0.91	$105	1:56
43	Kane Brown	$0.91	$71	1:18
44	Kenny Chesney	$0.91	$103	1:53
45	BTS	$0.90	$135	2:30
46	Tool	$0.87	$103	1:58
47	Blake Shelton	$0.87	$91	1:45
48	Carrie Underwood	$0.87	$87	1:40
49	Coldplay	$0.87	$104	2:00
50	Journey	$0.86	$93	1:48

Rank	Artist	Cost per Minute	Average Ticket Cost	Average Performance Length
51	Daddy Yankee	$0.84	$105	2:05
52	Gorillaz	$0.84	$97	1:56
53	Metallica	$0.84	$104	2:04
54	Arctic Monkeys	$0.83	$79	1:36
55	Mumford & Sons	$0.82	$71	1:26
56	Roger Waters	$0.81	$114	2:20
57	Scorpions	$0.81	$78	1:36
58	Peter Gabriel	$0.81	$128	2:39
59	Muse	$0.79	$87	1:50
60	Eric Church	$0.79	$98	2:05
61	KISS	$0.78	$96	2:03
62	Rammstein	$0.78	$107	2:16
63	$uicideboy$	$0.78	$70	1:30
64	Dua Lipa	$0.78	$71	1:31
65	Pearl Jam	$0.78	$112	2:24
66	Jimmy Buffett	$0.77	$79	1:43
67	Bon Jovi	$0.76	$102	2:14
68	Paramore	$0.76	$89	1:57
69	Twenty One Pilots	$0.76	$65	1:25
70	Travis Scott	$0.76	$76	1:40
71	James Taylor	$0.75	$103	2:16
72	Thomas Rhett	$0.75	$67	1:29
73	Imagine Dragons	$0.74	$83	1:53
74	Garth Brooks	$0.73	$98	2:14
75	Backstreet Boys	$0.73	$87	1:59
76	The Killers	$0.72	$78	1:48
77	Jonas Brothers	$0.72	$106	2:28
78	Old Dominion	$0.72	$76	1:46
79	Ed Sheeran	$0.71	$91	2:07
80	Chris Stapleton	$0.70	$79	1:53
81	Rosalía	$0.69	$72	1:45
82	Jason Aldean	$0.68	$65	1:36
83	Iron Maiden	$0.67	$76	1:54
84	Chris Brown	$0.66	$83	2:06
85	Florence + The Machine	$0.66	$68	1:43
86	Luke Combs	$0.65	$72	1:52
87	Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band	$0.62	$110	2:56
88	The Smashing Pumpkins	$0.62	$75	2:02
89	Alanis Morissette	$0.62	$59	1:36
90	Hootie & The Blowfish	$0.60	$61	1:41
91	The 1975	$0.60	$71	1:57
92	Little Mix	$0.60	$65	1:48
93	Dead & Company	$0.59	$115	3:14
94	Maneskin	$0.59	$65	1:50
95	The Lumineers	$0.58	$61	1:45
96	Nickelback	$0.58	$58	1:39
97	Odesza	$0.58	$66	1:53
98	Dan + Shay	$0.57	$57	1:41
99	Bryan Adams	$0.56	$68	2:01
100	Guns N’ Roses	$0.56	$102	3:02

Rank	Artist	Cost per Minute	Average Ticket Cost	Average Performance Length
101	Hans Zimmer	$0.56	$92	2:43
102	Panic! At The Disco	$0.56	$58	1:44
103	Luke Bryan	$0.55	$61	1:51
104	Phish	$0.54	$91	2:50
105	The Avett Brothers	$0.53	$59	1:51
106	Dave Matthews Band	$0.53	$86	2:43
107	Shinedown	$0.52	$53	1:42
108	Matchbox Twenty	$0.50	$59	1:59
109	Trans-Siberian Orchestra	$0.49	$69	2:23
110	Lauren Daigle	$0.48	$54	1:52
111	Pentatonix	$0.48	$56	1:57
112	Zac Brown Band	$0.48	$63	2:10
113	Greta Van Fleet	$0.47	$63	2:13
114	The Cure	$0.46	$69	2:30
115	Cody Johnson	$0.44	$51	1:56
116	Korn	$0.39	$38	1:39

This comprehensive data set offers fans and industry analysts alike a new way to evaluate the value proposition of live music, going beyond simple ticket prices to consider factors like performance length and frequency of shows. As the live music industry continues to evolve, metrics like these may become increasingly important in understanding and shaping concert economics.