Photo Courtesy of Pop Updates.
Harry Styles is finally back! His single “Aperture” was released on January 22nd, while his new album “Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally” came out on March 6th. This is his first release since his 2022 Album “Harry’s House”, which earned him the Grammy win for Album of the Year.
After a nearly four-year hiatus from releasing new music, fans on the SAU campus and around the world have been eagerly anticipating what Harry Styles would do next. Known for his distinctive blend of pop and rock influences, Styles has become one of the most recognizable names in modern music. His new project promises to mark a fresh era in his evolving career.
With his new album comes a tour starting on May 16th, which he is calling the ‘Together, Together’ tour. Styles is changing things up when it comes to his live performances. It won’t be a traditional tour but rather a 67-date residency tour, with dates in Amsterdam, London, São Paulo, Mexico City, Melbourne, Sydney, and a whopping 30 nights in New York at Madison Square Garden.
Fans say his ticket pricing is the main concern. Nosebleed tickets could cost $400-450 per person, and other tickets could cost upwards of $1,000 per person.
SAU freshman psychology major Emma Taft says that while she was excited for his return to the music industry, she doesn’t think his pricing is fair to his fans. “Some may not have been able to see him in the past, so his return should give them a chance to…but if the tickets are majorly overpriced, they will miss that opportunity.”
Brooklyn Schlapkohl, an exercise science sophomore, says she is pretty indifferent on Harry’s return to music, but criticizes prices. “He is definitely asking for too much with his ticket prices, I mean he hasn’t released anything in four years so it’s quite excessive to be asking for $2,000 a ticket when most artists don’t ask for much past $500.”
St. Ambrose social work sophomore Theresa Carlisle says the issue goes beyond just one expensive tour. “At that point, is this about making money off of your new album, or is this about making music for your fans worldwide?”
She notes that fans outside New York are effectively shut out by the residency model and travel costs. Theresa also points out that some legacy artists charge far less. She recalls seeing Paul McCartney in Des Moines for “like $100, maybe $150” dollars a ticket, calling him “a living legend” who has “spent decades building this,” and still doesn’t charge what Styles is asking.
For Theresa, the heart of the issue is who actually gets in the door. “Who is really spending the money on these tickets? Who is he performing for?” she asks. “It’s not your everyday fan at that point,” especially younger fans in high school or college who are already struggling with basics like rent and groceries. She criticizes the decision to center so much of the tour in New York.
“You’re pandering to one city,” she says. “You’re excluding…like 95% of the country as far as availability to get to see him,” especially once you factor in flights, hotels, food, and other travel costs on top of the ticket price. “I mean really, who’s going to be ‘Together, Together’ Harry?”
