FEATURE: JUST THE TICKET.

The findings produced by live entertainment analyst Tixdaq's first-ever comprehensive report of the country's live music ticketing sector is set to change the traditional pricing model for concert tickets. So just what is so relevant about such data that it has put Tixdaq at the forefront of the live industry?

By Gordon Masson

The way in which concert tickets have traditionally been priced could be set to change as the result of an extensive study of the UK business by live entertainment analyst Tixdaq.

The company has just published what is believed to be the first comprehensive annual report of the country's live music ticketing sector, providing a detailed account of who are the key stakeholders in terms of promoters, agents, venues and artists, in addition to which record companies' artists generate the biggest revenues from their live performances.

Among the more surprising findings in the Tixdaq annual report is the fact that EMI punched well above its weight when it comes to the share of the ticket resale market that its acts enjoy. The London-based major's artists had a 22% share of tickets resold last year, compared to Universal's 34%, Sony BMG's 33% and Warner's 9%.

As Tixdaq executive VP Steve Machin explains, "The data in the report is a lot more detailed than anything that has ever been produced before and reflects successful touring acts. The resale market clearly shows the enduring popularity of classic artists that are perhaps no longer releasing new music regularly yet have a strong, and relatively affluent, audience.

"Interestingly, everyone has a different viewpoint on how our data is useful to them. For instance, promoters use it in a different way from managers. Similarly, the insight our data allows to a record label is distinct to the benefits afforded to the booking agent" says Machin.