How Much Do Bands Get From Ticket Sales? Emo Rock Band Explains

A new report shows just how much (or maybe how little) bands get paid from concert ticket sales.

Where Does The Money Go After You Buy A Concert Ticket?

CBS News recently tackled the seemingly ever-present topic of rising concert ticket costs. But instead of making it yet another report about frustrated music fans, the outlet focused on just where the money goes after you buy a ticket.

To show how the money is divided, CBS worked with Andrew McMahon of Something Corporate who broke down what the band gets from a $70 concert ticket.

For this particular show, Something Corporate set the ticket cost at $56. Of course, that isn’t what the ticket buyer pays since services tend to tack on all sorts of fees.

With that set ticket price and venue, McMahon tells CBS that the show has the potential to generate $200,000. Details about the specific venue were kept private by CBS.

Not a bad payday, right? But this doesn’t account for costs related to the venue, which include things such as advertising and catering.

The numbers revealed by McMahon showed nearly $40,000 alone deducted from that total for stagehands. The band’s totals showed nearly $104,000 in costs just related to the venue.

With the band left with approximately $100,000, they now must divide that up to cover their own expenses.

How Much Profit Does Something Corporate Make From Each Ticket?

McMahon didn’t stop at listing the venue expenses in the CBS report. He goes on to then reveal how the $100,000 leftover for the band is split up.

Among the items deducted from that total are commissions, fees and payroll.

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“Meanwhile, their management takes a quarter. Travel and crew costs take another quarter,” the CBS reporter says.

Taking into account all of the show costs, band expenses and fees (which do not go to the band), CBS calculated that Something Corporate makes approximately a $10 profit from every ticket sold.

That still might not justify skyrocketing ticket prices, but at least we know where all of that money is going.