Is “Blue Dot Fever” Really Behind Recent Wave of Concert Tour Cancellations?
NBC Palm Springs (2026). A recent wave of high-profile concert cancellations and tour postponements from major artists—including Meghan Trainor, Post Malone, Zayn, and the Pussycat Dolls—has sparked intense speculation across social media. Users have quickly diagnosed the live entertainment industry with "blue dot fever," a viral term referencing the blue markers that signify unsold seats on digital ticketing platforms like Ticketmaster. However, music industry experts warn that the trending phrase oversimplifies a complex economic reality.
What is “blue dot fever” and what does it mean for the music industry?
CBS Mornings (2026). Major musicians from Post Malone to Meghan Trainor have recently struggled to sell out stadiums and arenas for their tours. It's a troubling trend being called "blue dot fever" and has led to entertainers canceling some or all of their shows. Ash-har Quraishi reports.
Are fans being priced out of live gigs?
France 24 (2026). A spate of high-profile stadium tours by stars like Céline Dion, Taylor Swift and Oasis have put a spotlight on the practice of dynamic ticket pricing, with many fans saying they're unable to secure or afford tickets. Andrew Mall, associate professor of music at Northeastern University, says the trend of dynamic ticket pricing is likely to continue.
Ticketmaster Vows to Crackdown on Scalpers
Forum Daily News (2025). Forum Daily News is a weekly news program produced by The News Forum (TNF). TNF is a Canadian broadcaster with a mandate to provide viewers with politically balanced domestic and international perspectives, intended to be a counterbalance to the prevailing media landscape. In this interview, I discuss dynamic-pricing mechanisms, how demand-based pricing works in the concert/ticketing sector, how artists/management negotiate with platforms like Ticketmaster, and what the consumer-impact tends to be.
Beyoncé fans complain of inconsistent ticket prices for Cowboy Carter Tour
CBS Morning News (2025). Some Beyoncé fans say they're seeing inconsistent ticket prices for the Cowboy Carter Tour, with some social media users pointing to seats in the same section going for different prices depending on when you bought the tickets. Andrew Mall, associate professor of music at Northeastern University, joined CBS News to discuss the issue.
CBC talks with Andrew Mall about Universal Music vs. TikTok
CBC (television broadcast, 2024). On the night of the Grammys, CBC's Deana Sumanac of CBC Newsroom talks with Andrew Mall about Universal Music vs. TikTok.
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