Bruce Springsteen Kisses Blue-Collar Brand Goodbye
The Boss's rationale for gouging hardcore fans sounds as tone deaf as possible
Taylor Swift is only 32, but she’s shrewd enough to take her fans’ side in the latest Ticketmaster imbroglio.
The pop princess raged against the ticketing giant after fans struggled to gobble up passes for her 2023 tour.
“I’m not going to make excuses for anyone because we asked them, multiple times, if they could handle this kind of demand and we were assured they could. It’s truly amazing that 2.4 million people got tickets, but it really pisses me off that a lot of them feel like they went through several bear attacks to get them.”
Bruce Springsteen, a 73-year-old rock legend with decades in the business, had a different reaction when fans balked at the sky-high prices for his upcoming tour.
I’m worth it. And it took him months to say just that.
Bruce Springsteen speaks out about Ticketmaster dynamic pricing, which caused some of his tickets to hit $5K.
“I told them, ‘Hey, we’re 73 years old. The guys are there. I want to do what everybody else is doing, my peers.’ So that’s what happened”
MORE: https://t.co/Vv32V3r5Oq pic.twitter.com/45PKeN6x7p
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) November 18, 2022
The Springsteen kerfuffle kicked off in July when sales for his 2023 tour opened via, what else, Ticketmaster and its “dynamic pricing” model.
[Fans] found tickets going for as much as $4,000-5,000 for mid-range floor seats, and into the four-figures for other, less desirable tickets that remained.
The outrage was real and sustained, but Springsteen remained mum on the matter. The blue-collar bard couldn’t spare a public syllable on the subject, leaving his manager to speak for him.
“We chose prices that are lower than some and on par with others. Regardless of the commentary about a modest number of tickets costing $1,000 or more, our true average ticket price has been in the mid-$200 range. I believe that in today’s environment, that is a fair price to see someone universally regarded as among the very greatest artists of his generation.”
Now, finally, Springsteen addressed the subject directly via Rolling Stone magazine.
RELATED: THE CURE BOSSES SPRINGSTEEN AROUND ON TICKETMASTER OUTRAGE
The rocker said he generally tries to assess what his peers charge for concerts and lower the rates a bit from there. Now, he’s had a change of heart.
This time I told them, ‘Hey, we’re 73 years old. The guys are there. I want to do what everybody else is doing, my peers.’ So that’s what happened. That’s what they did.
He continued, saying many prices are “totally affordable”
The ticket broker or someone is going to be taking that money. I’m going, ‘Hey, why shouldn’t that money go to the guys that are going to be up there sweating three hours a night for it?’
To soften the blow he’s offering a money-back guarantee.
Bruce has had two months to come up with a statement that shows some empathy and compassion for his fans and we get this. Taylor Swift gave a better statement in 2 days.
— David (@daGrubbs25) November 18, 2022
Sweat from playing a guitar for three hours? Let’s talk about sweat from a backbreaking job for 10 hours for little pay. Typical lib Dem who doesn’t give a damn about the working man.
— Tim Farley (@TimTimfarley) November 18, 2022
Springsteen’s populism is well known, at least on paper. His classic tunes have connected with the common man, forging a steel-like bond with his base. It’s been an integral part of his brand for decades.
Now, in his 70s, he’s eager to scoop up as much cash as possible at a time when the average American is pounded by a recession-like economy and soaring inflation rates. He recently peddled his songbook for a whopping $550 million.
Now, he’s looking to cash in anew, but this time it’s his hardcore fans who are picking up the tab. That naked greed may forever taint his legacy, not to mention his progressive bona fides.
Whether he realizes it or not, Mr. Springsteen is and has always been a product,, packaged and promoted and sold like beer or razor blades. Just about exactly 47 years (!) ago, October of 1975, he appeared on the covers of both Time and Newsweek AT THE SAME TIME, back when print was how news was delivered and both magazines were huge. Men landing on the moon? War breaks out or ends? Big natural disaster? I am prepared to believe two different sets of editors and publishers could in the same week independently come up with identical covers and related stories. But a rock star? Gotta be a manufactured story about a manufactured product. That told me two things: 1. Springsteen was no more a genuine, grass roots, working-class phenomenon than The Monkees, Spice Girls, or Menudo. and 2) What is presented to you as ‘news’ — as well as what is hidden from you — is what press agents and publicists can cajole, force or bribe a publisher into putting in front of you — or .burying Number 2 has never been more true than today, for proof, look no further than the Russian Collusion hoax of Hunter’s laptop..
It’s sad when the almighty dollar is the only barometer for true success.
I am another who never saw one of his shows, never bought an album nor a single, and never will. I’m 58,grew up in the Detroit area, and never bought into his supposed “blue collar” bs. I always thought he was a braying talentless arse, even back when I was a teen.
Never saw a show. NEVER bought a record, NEVER will. I’m 68, retired. Alway thought he was a hack that only screamed.
In breaking news…Bruce “The Farmer” Springsteen was seen driving his tractor near a studio that teaches vocal singing. Earlier reports have not been confirmed that the “Boss” is finally taking singing lessons, however; it is confirmed that the “Boss” is in fact living out the lyrics to his song, .”Glory Days”. Back to you Clarence.
The truth is that Bruce (or any of the big stars) could give away the tickets for free and the scalpers would procure most of them and charge the same prices they are now. I pay the face value willingly – even if it’s $500 a ticket, or more for the best seats. The problem is that the ticket system is corrupt through bribery of politicians by Ticketmaster/Live Nation and all those that came before them. After years of this the stars said, “Why should I let the scalpers make 10 times more than me on my own shows?” and I don’t blame them. I blame Chuck Schumer, who once a year holds a press conference (on a Sunday afternoon of course) vowing to hold the ticket sellers “responsible” and then does nothing.
Bruce Springsteen? Wasn’t he on Captain Kangaroo??
I was never a huge fan of Springsteen. He had a lot of very good music, but the gushing over him durings the past several decades simply overrated him, including the embarassing spectacle of Chris Christie, whom I respect, acting like a 16 year old fanboy a few years back. But yeah, if these fools choose to pay the prices, who gives a damn?
errr, “during”. No more alcohol until after 10am.
You respect Chris Christie? Was it a worse gushing over Springsteen than he did over Jerry Jones a few years back?
Ummm, no. I had to do a web search to find out who Jerry Jones is, and the 1957 incident was worse, no doubt. I’m certain he’s had a change of heart since. I also don’t think it’s fair to judge someone regarding his relatively youthful views from 65 years ago, however despicable.
Clean-up on aisle 1957. I am now clear that it was Jones and not Christie who was responsible in the incident cited. To catigate someone for giving an awkward high-five to someone with a checkered past is a bit beyond the pale.
Also, it seemed a bit odd that Christie was that old. I should have caught that.
Anyone, who has continued to buy into his “everyday Joe – workingman” persona – for the last 20 YEARS – is a moron.
I figured this turd out years ago. He is nothing but a left-wing A=hole and I would not pay $10 for a ticket to watch him. Bossman my ass. He is nothing more than a short skinny little turd.
BS, has now been nominated to the Scalper Hall of Fame !
While the warm-up band plays, Burcey, will outside the arena
scalping eager fans, desperate to get inside. On-the-other-hand
if concert goers are that stupid to pay such outrages ticket prices
let Bruce get rich like a bitch.
Top price for Elvis Presley tickets in 1977–that is, up to the day of his death–was $15.00 (fifteen dollars).
Springsteen is entitled to make whatever the market will bear — but his hypocrisy is tough to swallow. His connection to the common man/working class died decades ago.
I do have a question, though: Bruce, you are a mega-millionaire — why the lust for more cash? You have more money than generations of your offspring will be able to spend; you certainly won’t be around to do it. Remember when you were friends with Harry Chapin, who gave the proceeds of about half of his concerts to feeding the poor? The idea of money is to do good with it, not to see how much you can accumulate before you are called by God to answer for your life.
Springsteen’s idea of being down with the working man is riding in the front seat with his chauffeur!
So?
if youre dumb enough to pay those prices, choke on it.
Springsteen’s idea of being down with the working man, is riding in the front seat with his chauffeur!
you mean” farmer” bruce who took a nice big tax deduction for making a part of the grounds of his NJ estate a “farm”. was he ever a blue collar guy?