Olivia Dean Calls Out Live Nation and Ticketmaster Over Inflated Resale Prices: ‘You Are Providing a Disgusting Service’

British singer Olivia Dean, whose soulful pop single "Man I Need" recently soared into the Billboard Hot 100's top five, has publicly condemned the ticketing giants Live Nation, Ticketmaster, and AEG. The criticism came after tickets for her newly announced "Art of Loving Live" 2026 tour went on sale, with fans quickly encountering exorbitantly priced resale listings on secondary websites.

In a strongly worded Instagram post, Dean expressed her frustration with the current state of the ticketing industry. She warned her followers about potential fraudulent listings and directly called out the companies, writing, "@ticketmaster @livenation @aegpresents you are providing a disgusting service. The prices at which you're allowing tickets to be re-sold is vile and completely against our wishes." She emphasized that live music should remain affordable for all, a sentiment that echoes growing public and political demands for industry-wide changes. The Brit Award-winning artist, known for her blend of soul and pop that has garnered widespread critical praise, noted that her management is actively investigating the situation.

Following the tour announcement, social media was flooded with complaints from fans who described joining digital queues with tens of thousands of other users, only to discover that genuine tickets were almost instantly reposted for hundreds of dollars more than their initial cost. This rapid inflation highlights a chronic vulnerability in event ticketing, where automated bots frequently purchase large quantities of tickets before genuine fans have a chance. An industry analyst, Dr. Lena Carter, commented, "While high-profile artist critiques generate immediate attention, sustainable solutions depend on modernized legislation and consistent enforcement to combat these automated purchasing systems."

In response, Ticketmaster reposted Dean's statement on its own Instagram account and pledged to cap resale prices on its platform at face value, while encouraging other resale sites to follow its lead. This action led to the removal of the inflated tickets for Dean’s tour from major resale platforms. When contacted by Variety for further details, a Ticketmaster representative referred to the social media post, and AEG did not provide an immediate response. This incident contributes to the ongoing, intense scrutiny of ticketing practices, which has previously prompted U.S. Senate hearings and new legislative efforts designed to improve transparency for consumers.