By: Emma Schwartz

A recent string of software malfunctions on Ticketmaster is leaving fans with no other option but to purchase tickets elsewhere. Known for being a reliable website that will not swindle its users’ wallets, the company’s track record is quite positive.  However, new glitches in the waiting room have emerged. 

Many famous artists such as Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Luke Bryan, SZA, and more have used Ticketmaster as a way of selling their concert tickets. A few months ago, however, Ticketmaster had a huge glitch that kicked out half of the people that had been waiting for hours to buy Taylor Swift concert tickets. More recently, there have been major glitches in Beyonce’s and SZA’s concerts, leaving fans in even more chaos. 

Jillian Shoultz, a Mt. Hebron junior who has fallen victim to the Ticketmaster glitches twice said, “when I was in the waiting room to get tickets it would count down what number was in line. Each time it got down to the last few numbers before being first in line, the site would just crash and the hours of waiting would go to waste.”

Shoultz’s experience is one that many fellow users have also endured. The incidents have happened so frequently, many artists have said they will no longer use Ticketmaster, opting to utilize other sites.

 Ticketmaster issued a formal apology to Taylor Swift and her fans that were not able to get the tickets due to the glitches.

“First, we want to apologize to Taylor and all of her fans – especially those who had a terrible experience trying to purchase tickets.”

Mt. Hebron sophomore Annabelle Kahn, another victim of glitches, said, “for both concerts, I was in the “waiting room.” For Taylor swift, surprisingly, it didn’t glitch for me because, for a lot of my friends, it kicked them out of the waiting room. But for Beyonce, I was in the waiting room and it kicked me out when I was almost there and by the time I got back the tickets were so expensive and I couldn’t get them.”

These software malfunctions have been going on for years. 28 years ago, notorious rock band Pearl Jam boycotted Ticketmaster, claiming the company was intending to monopolize the ticket market. Pearl Jam tried to work outside of Ticketmaster and then Ticketmaster organized a boycott of their tour. Legal matters ensued that were ultimately settled, but many are looking back at this event due to current happenings.

Artists and fans are giving up on Ticketmaster. Many people have waited for hours only for the Ticketmaster to kick them out. The company is continuing to look into the issue in order to provide reliable and scam-safe concert tickets, but that notion is continuously being challenged.