Spotify Will Start Reserving Concert Tickets For Fans

Spotify is launching "Reserved," a new feature that will set aside concert tickets for Premium subscribers it identifies as an artist's most dedicated fans based on streams, shares, and other activity. "Getting concert tickets today can feel like a race you're set up to lose," Spotify wrote in a post on Thursday. "You show up at the right time, refresh endlessly, and still miss out. Too often, the experience is stressful, unpredictable, and disconnected from what should matter most: whether real fans actually get tickets. We think there's a better way." From the Hollywood Reporter: Spotify said that starting in the U.S. this summer, select artists will be able to use Reserved to set aside tickets for fans on the platform. The platform has partnered with Live Nation on the program as part of a multiyear agreement. The platform will use streams, shares and other types of activity to "identify an artist's most dedicated fans and hold two tour tickets for them."

Fans selected through Reserved will get up to two tickets, and they'll have a day-long window to make a ticket purchase if selected. Spotify didn't give any details on what artists will work with the streaming service for the new feature, or how many tickets artists would set aside with Reserved, though the service acknowledged "there will be significantly more superfans than there are seats available on a tour, so not every fan will receive an offer."

Re: a day-long window

[denelson83]

But it is still a lottery.

Re:

[ambrandt12]

It's just like Dominos' "Free Pizza For A Year" things... whoever clicks fast enough when the thing goes live at 4AM or whatever wins (at least for this one, you don't have to be a Premium member or have ordered a hundred times in the last four months or something).

And, this Spotify thing is only for Premium members, and I assume the tickets are full price. I would think maybe there would be a discount for being a Premium member and being a big fan (by their definition).

Re:

[awwshit]

Your biggest fans are willing to pay you the most. A better angle is some kind of super fan experience that costs even more.

Re:

[thegarbz]

What a neat trick to keep you glued to your phone, to hit buy, buy, BUY!

Huh? In what way does having an entire day keep you glued to your phone? You get an email and sometime throughout the day you make a purchase decision. Did you understand at all what is going on?

Oh great, another presale

[rezachi]

Iâ(TM)ve done enough presales to realize that unless they find a way to keep the scalpers and bots out it will be largely useless.

fan

[gary s]

ANd how much does it cost in fee's to be a fan?

Scalper incentive

[sheph]

As long as scalpers are essentially tolerated the behavior won't stop. If they started seriously cracking down the risk vs reward wouldn't be worth it. Long jail sentences. Asset forfeiture. And pay it back to the people they ripped off. Not just line the government's coffers. They'll go after Napster users for downloading music, but concerts are usually an artists main source of income. If they could get the scalpers out of it I'll bet the ticket sales would be a lot higher.

most dedicated fans?

[BellyJelly]

The most dedicated fans would want to own vinyl or CD.

Re:

[Archfeld]

Yes, and the fans could buy it at the venue where the Artist gets the lions share, or they could finance a BMG VP's next girlfriend and buy it from a retailer. Go to the show, buy some merch and you are TRULY supporting an artist or band. Everything else is just BS.

I don't hate it

[EldoranDark]

But it's also not a problem that needs such wacky solving. Last gig I bought tickets too had me register my name alongside the ticket at purchase time. I am not allowed to pass the tickets on. I may or may not be allowed to refund them. Not sure if there's a loophole for scalpers left.

Live Nation so $100-$200 in fees?

[Joe_Dragon]

Live Nation so $100-$200 in fees?