Impact International: UK/Euro 2024 Honoree Chris Payne

AFFORDABLE TICKETS PROTECT LONG-TERM CAREERS

Olivia Rodrigo is one of the year’s touring sensations. Her “Guts World Tour” just wrapped up a 95-show global arena run by selling out Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney four times, Oct. 17-22, moving 62,744 tickets at a $7,207,500 gross.

In the UK and Europe, two sold-out OVO Hydros in Glasgow, Scotland, May 7-8 (26,981 tickets, $3,275,137 grossed), and two sold-out MEO Arenas in Lisbon, Portugal, June 22-23 (37,854 tickets, $3,341,786 gross) exemplify this artist’s worldwide appeal.

Rodrigo’s international agent at WME, Chris Payne, says “the show itself is extraordinary, and Olivia has had some incredible artists join her on that journey” – including Chappell Roan, who is nominated for a Pollstar Award for Support/Special Guest of the Year.

He adds, “Another highlight this year would have to be Loyle Carner headlining All Points East and curating a killer bill, all in the park around the corner from his house!”

Carner co-curated the East, West and North Stages of the festival this year, and was joined by André 3000, Lianne La Havas, Flying Lotus, Cymande, Glass Beams, Nubya Garcia, Lola Young, and more.

Payne – whose other clients include Akala, Jack White, Humble the Great, Lola Young, M.I.A., Mahalia and Rizzle Kicks – predicts that “the hard ticket business will reign for a few years yet!”

Pricing those tickets right, however, has never been a more difficult task than in 2024.
“It’s well documented that every part of the touring ecosystem is dealing with squeezed margins due to rising costs,” Payne says. “The biggest challenge has been keeping ticket prices affordable for fans in order to protect long term careers. If the shows are priced right, they are blowing out quicker than ever.”

It’s also been a very strong year for podcast and book touring.

Payne continues, “A highlight being ‘The Rest Is Politics’ selling more than 30,000 tickets across six shows in the UK, culminating in a show at The O2 in the round. That said, I’m also very excited about Lola Young and Humble the Great who are both going to continue to make moves in 2025.”