A coalition of some of New England’s biggest recording artists, including Noah Kahan, Aimee Mann, The Pixies, Juice and Dropkick Murphys, has written a letter calling on Massachusetts to approve recently introduced legislation that would cap the amount of tickets dealers are allowed to resell tickets for.
“Live performance should not be a luxury,” the 16 signatory artists wrote on Wednesday. “Our art is not a commodity that can be bought and resold at sky-high prices against our wishes. People who contribute nothing to live performance should not earn more than the artists, venues, crews and staff who bring these performances to life.”
The letter comes a week after Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced the “Big Divide” Act, the same legislation named after Kahan’s latest album. Healey said the law would cap resale prices at 110 percent of the original face value price, meaning that, say, $100 would only be possible to resell for $110. The bill would also cap fees for secondary ticketing sites as well, and would ban scalping tickets, the practice in which brokers list tickets for sale that they don’t actually own yet.
“Few things hurt an artist more than seeing a fan take advantage of a ticket seller,” the letter read. “It’s heartbreaking to read comments from fans who paid exorbitant resale prices, knowing there’s little we can do to help. Every artist who signs this letter has experienced this feeling. Predatory resales, scalping, ticket mongering, whatever you choose to call it, do more than just exploit fans financially. They erode trust between artists and the people who support us.”
Kahan has been particularly vocal in recent months in pushing for ticket reform, lending his support to both the Massachusetts bill as well as another ticketing law recently passed in his nearby state of Vermont.
Beyond artists, the bill received support from industry groups such as the Music Artists Alliance, the National Independent Talent Organization, and the Future of Music Coalition.
“Artists and fans want the same thing: a fair chance to get into the room where the music is being played,” Ron Gobits, executive director of the Music Artists Coalition, said in a statement. “Scalping tickets and runaway resale fees break that deal for all but industrial-scale ticket flippers. The Great Divide Act draws that line clearly. Massachusetts, under the leadership of Governor Healey and Senator Fernandez, is leading the country here with this powerful set of reforms.”
The Massachusetts bill reflects an emerging trend in states across the country seeking to combat ticket scalping. Maine introduced caps on resale ticket prices last year, and California and New York introduced similar bills this year as well. Meanwhile, Washington, D.C., approved a price cap last week.
Read the full letter and list of signatories below:
We write as artists who strongly believe in the power of live performance. Shows are where families make memories, young people discover who they are, and where entire rooms of people share something that can’t be recreated anywhere else. We want these moments to be accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford the prices paid by a broken ticket resale market.
Live performance shouldn’t be a luxury. Our art is not a commodity that can be bought and resold at sky-high prices against our wishes. People who contribute nothing to live performance should benefit no more than the artists, venues, crews and staff who bring these shows to life.
There are few things that hurt an artist more than seeing a fan take advantage of a ticket seller. It’s heartbreaking to read comments from fans who paid exorbitant resale prices, knowing there’s not much we can do to help. Every artist who signed this letter felt this way. Predatory resales, scalping, ticket hawking, or whatever you choose to call it, do more than just financially exploit fans. It erodes trust between artists and the people who support us.
We know how much our fans give to be a part of these moments. They plan, save, and show up. Our fans support us without hesitation, and we owe it to them to defend a system that does not exclude them.
Massachusetts is working to protect our fans by capping resale at 110%, banning scalping tickets and cracking down on scam websites. We respectfully ask Massachusetts legislators to stand up for their constituents by protecting equitable access to live performances and supporting these reforms.
Noah Kahan
Dropkick Murphys
Fairies
Goose
Amy Mann
Kelswich engage
Shadows fall
Four solid years
New England Metal and Hardcore Festival
At a loss for words
All that’s left
Defective mango
Mark Ereli
Melissa Ferrick
Burma mission
Ryan Montbleau
