From The Cheap Seats

Live music is becoming an artform only accessible to the middle and upper class.

In 1984, Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band set out on a massive tour to support their blockbuster album, Born In The USA. Along with other huge stars like Madonna and Michael Jackson, Springsteen was an artist of the moment. The four legs of the tour stretched on for nearly 18 months and featured shows on four different continents.

In honor of his deep connection to his audience and with a commitment to a blue collar ethos, Springsteen kept ticket prices for his tour accessible for as many fans as possible. The average ticket price for a Boss show on that tour would have set you back about $15, roughly $45 in today’s cash. Many shows offered tickets at $10 or less for cheap offerings to fans on a budget.

Pricing for Michael Jackson’s tour during the same time period were roughly double the cost of a Springsteen show. Jackson received criticism at the time for his ticket pricing of $30 for a seat to the Victory Tour. Even with the adjusted price tag of $89, with no fees added on t…