Radiohead and Coldplay Lead Major Push to Cap UK Ticket Resale Prices
Radiohead, Coldplay, Dua Lipa and more than 40 leading British artists have signed a new open letter urging the UK government to introduce strict caps on ticket resale prices. The coordinated campaign, revealed by Rolling Stone and later detailed by The Guardian, calls on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to act against what artists describe as “pernicious and exploitative” secondary ticketing websites.
The letter asks the government to set a legal limit on how much tickets can be resold for — an issue that has intensified over the past decade as major live events are routinely targeted by large-scale touting operations. According to the Guardian report, artists argue that fans are being pushed into paying “hyper-inflated” prices, while legitimate venues and performers lose control over their own shows.
Rolling Stone notes that the letter was coordinated by the FanFair Alliance, a campaign group long critical of resale giants such as Viagogo. They argue that without legislative intervention, UK music fans will continue to face barriers accessing concerts by some of the nation’s most prominent acts — including those signing the letter.
The move marks one of the strongest united fronts the British music community has shown on the issue. Coldplay and Radiohead have both previously spoken against aggressive resale practices, but this large-scale, multi-artist effort places renewed pressure on Downing Street to deliver reforms promised during the last election cycle.
The government has not yet issued a formal response, but industry analysts suggest the collective weight of names like Radiohead, Coldplay and Dua Lipa could force the issue back into the legislative spotlight. With live music demand at record highs, the debate over fair access — and whether fans should pay capped, transparent prices — is likely to intensify in the coming months.
