Mr. Burt acknowledged the presence of exploitation in the practices of artists like Eilish but questioned the extent of the artists’ involvement in setting ticket prices.

He highlighted additional revenue streams available to artists, such as offering numerous album formats or selling merchandise at concerts. “If you have 30+ formats of an album, for example, there is an implicit understanding that some fans will buy all of them, which in turn boosts its chart position exponentially,” he explained. “Similarly, merch at gigs. Some will want all of it.

As a parent, I wouldn’t buy it all, and I’m lucky my daughter has no interest in that level of ‘completism,’ but I’m sure it puts pressure on parents at a time when we can least afford it.”

When contacted by The Independent, a representative for Eilish declined to comment.

Eilish recently criticized major artists for releasing “40 different vinyl packages that have a different unique thing just to get you to keep buying more,” describing the practice as “wasteful.”

However, she clarified that her comments were not aimed at fellow pop star Taylor Swift, who had recently announced various versions of her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department. “I wasn’t singling anyone out; these are industry-wide systemic issues.

And when it comes to variants, so many artists release them, including ME! Which I clearly state in the article,” Eilish wrote on Instagram. “The climate crisis is now, and it’s about all of us being part of the problem and trying to do better sheesh.”

Source: independent.co.uk