{"id":576085,"date":"2026-05-10T08:20:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T08:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/576085\/"},"modified":"2026-05-10T08:20:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T08:20:09","slug":"blue-dot-fever-why-so-many-concerts-are-cancelled-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/576085\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Blue Dot Fever’: Why So Many Concerts Are Cancelled 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earlier this week, the Pussycat Dolls cancelled<\/a> almost every date on the US leg of their PCD Forever tour.<\/p>\n

In a group statement posted on Instagram<\/a>, they explained: \u201cAfter taking an honest look at the North American run, we\u2019ve made the difficult and heartbreaking decision to cancel all but one of the North America dates\u201d. <\/p>\n

This came after Meghan Trainor<\/a> ditched her entire<\/a> tour, citing \u201cwelcoming our new baby girl to our growing family of five\u201d as her reason.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Post Malone<\/a>, who just canned six<\/a> shows in his Big Ass Stadium Tour, said he did so to focus on his new album. <\/p>\n

It all paints a pretty tough time for concert-goers. And some fans suspect<\/a> that for certain artists, the real reason behind abandoned tour dates is what The Times has dubbed<\/a> \u201cblue dot fever\u201d. <\/p>\n

What is \u2018blue dot fever\u2019? <\/p>\n

The trend\u2019s name refers to the blue dots that represent unsold tickets on popular vendor Ticketmaster\u2019s site.<\/p>\n

Basically, it means not enough people are buying tickets to these concerts, making stars\u2019 tours financially unviable.<\/p>\n

And as Zara Larsson recently pointed out<\/a>, touring is no cheap feat.<\/p>\n

Even very successful performers regularly lose money <\/a>on the road and have to find ways to fund the shows outside of direct ticket sales<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Times has noted<\/a> that on Post Malone\u2019s opening tour night, the site saw \u201cblue dots populate all sections of the venue\u201d. <\/p>\n

Fans alleged <\/a>that many seats on Meghan Trainor\u2019s tour were unsold before she cancelled, while the Pussycat Dolls\u2019 \u201cheartbreaking decision\u201d has also been linked<\/a> to lower sales.<\/p>\n

Eh… in that case why are my concert tickets still so expensive?<\/p>\n

Exactly. Fortune said<\/a> that might be part of the problem. <\/p>\n

The publication said that the average ticket price has shot up in the last year in the US (where many stars have cancelled the most shows), from $115 (\u00a384) last year to $144 (\u00a3106) in 2026. It was $82 (\u00a360) in 2020.<\/p>\n

That applies on this side of the Atlantic, too: data showed<\/a> that between 1996 and 2025, the average UK concert ticket price increased 521%.<\/p>\n

People simply might not be willing or able to pay. And if you think the inflated ticket costs might cover that shortfall, music data platform AndR claimed<\/a>: \u201cFrom a $100 [\u00a373]ticket, the artist keeps an average of $8.16 [\u00a36], [which is] less than the ticketing fees\u201d.<\/p>\n

Additionally, rising fuel prices<\/a> following the Iran conflict mean that tours, which rely on planes, trains and automobiles to get artists<\/a> from place to place, are seeing their already razor-thin margins shrink.<\/p>\n

Iin America, musicians are battling for people\u2019s wages against such stiff competition as 2026\u2032s Fifa World Cup, tickets for which have been described<\/a> as \u201cextortionate\u201d.<\/p>\n