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“She’s a superstar, why can’t she sell out?” “Why are fans so angry about this tour?” “Thousands of tickets are still on sale.” These are some of the headlines that have filled major international media outlets. The concern is clear: Is Beyoncé’s new ‘Cowboy Carter Tour’ a failure?

When Cowboy Carter (2024), her eighth album and the second part of the trilogy that started with Renaissance (2022), was released, public reactions were divided. Even on social media, there was speculation that it might turn out to be a real flop.

This studio work delves deeply into country music, a far cry from the pop sounds we’re used to from her, and that she reaffirmed in her previous release. «I think her traditional audience hasn’t really connected with this album,» said BBC presenter Bob Harris to The Times. «It’s not what people expect from Beyoncé.»

Now, why is it being said that Beyoncé isn’t selling tickets? Is it true? Is this all because her fans didn’t like her new album?

Fans’ Anger Over Ticket Prices

Is it true that Queen B isn’t selling tickets? Absolutely false. According to Live Nation, the artist had already sold 94% of her tour tickets by mid-March, less than a month after being announced. Is it true that Beyoncé hasn’t sold as many tickets as she did on her last tour, the ‘Renaissance Tour’? Yes, that is true.

In 2023, the Renaissance concert run sold out in minutes, but this new tour, weeks after its announcement, has not sold out in several stadiums. In fact, tickets are still available for her UK tour. However, none are priced below £121 ($151).

The truth is that many of her followers are upset about the ticket prices. After making a significant investment in her previous tour two years ago, they now see that prices have increased by up to 27% in some cases, The Times reports. This would be one of the reasons the press claims many of her fans won’t join her on the Cowboy Carter Tour.

However, the sustained price increases and dynamic pricing (sales that raise ticket prices based on demand) aren’t just because Beyoncé herself wants to maximize every tour (though that may be part of it); it’s a general trend, especially after the pandemic.

After a break that made us live more in the present and increased our FOMO (a term meaning “fear of missing out”), many people are willing to pay anything to see their idol live. The fact is that ticket prices for high-demand events have skyrocketed. There’s no way to get tickets, and resale prices are soaring: for Wimbledon, prices increased by 2,202%, and for Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’, they jumped by 700%. This is reported by the Economic Observatory of the UK Economic and Social Research Council.

‘Concerts Fatigue’

The period from 2023 to 2025 is critical for the expansion of mega-tours. Not just Beyoncé; Madonna, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Bad Bunny, Karol G… are among the major events that are taking place in a short period, especially for fans on an economic level. And as we mentioned earlier, prices aren’t cheap, nor is it especially easy to get tickets (we’re seeing this again with Bad Bunny’s tickets).

The music industry is moving faster and faster with the expansion of streaming and social media, which in a way forces artists to produce music and offer shows in shorter timeframes. This is one of the reasons why we’re seeing dozens of tours by major superstars in a single year, leading to saturation for buyers.

“Neither Beyoncé nor Gaga is in their ‘flop era.’ It’s clear that when you compare the sales, especially with Cowboy Carter compared to the Renaissance era, people are experiencing a huge wave of ‘concert fatigue,’” explains analyst Claire Donaldson to Daily Beast.

Hypervigilance and Ageism Toward Divas

Since the beginning of Cowboy Carter, there have been criticisms on social media (in several languages) about Beyoncé’s performances, which have been labeled as less dynamic, based on the idea that the artist “doesn’t dance as much anymore.” This criticism first appeared during Renaissance, when rumors spread that the singer had undergone foot surgery.

The truth is that the tone of some of these messages is quite similar to those aimed at other major pop culture figures, like Madonna after her appearance at the Met Gala. Despite advancements in the fight against discrimination of female artists within and outside the music industry, the differential and especially sharp criticism of women, combined with ageism, is still very present in their careers, including for major global icons.

Is Beyoncé losing relevance because she’s aging, as we all do every day of our lives? Not for now, but it is surprising to see the tone of some criticisms aimed at what is probably one of the best—if not the best—performers in history.