Amsterdam venue Paradiso and TicketSwap are claiming the first 100% face-value price cap for ticket resale in the Netherlands.

The new partnership ensures that tickets for Paradiso events can only be resold at their original purchase price (excluding service costs) or less, preventing price inflation and “supporting Paradiso’s mission as a non-profit organisation to make arts and culture accessible to a wide audience”.

To make the buying and reselling of tickets as seamless as possible, TicketSwap is integrating with Paradiso’s primary ticketing provider See Tickets Benelux.

“With rising costs for artists to go on tour and a possible VAT increase in 2026, ticket prices are under pressure. Visitors can only spend their money once and increasingly have to make
choices,” said Erik Luyten, Head of Ticketing, ICT & Data at Paradiso.

“Our partnership with TicketSwap ensures that we can keep prices low on their platform, while sellers can still earn back the full price they paid. Through TicketSwap’s SecureSwap technology, we can also guarantee that tickets resold on their platform are valid for admission. Tens of thousands of tickets per year for Paradiso events have already been sold via TicketSwap, from now on safer and more fairly priced than before.”

“With rising costs for artists to go on tour and a possible VAT increase in 2026, ticket prices are under pressure”

Elsewhere, Platinumlist says it is introducing the Middle East and North Africa’s first fan-to-fan ticket resale on its app.

The feature – which is already live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman – allows users to securely buy and sell tickets within the app marketplace.

In October, Platinumlist moved to combat fraud by transitioning from traditional PDF tickets to QR code technology called SafeTickets. The two new offerings have now been integrated.

Elsewhere, CTS Eventim and TikTok have rolled out their ticketing feature in Spain after launching the partnership in Germany earlier this year.

The feature will enable fans to discover live events and buy tickets through Eventim Spain’s platform Entradas.com from within the TikTok platform.

Any artist or content creator with more than 1,000 followers will be able to promote tickets to concerts, plays, musicals, festivals, exhibitions or sporting events in their TikTok videos.

“We seek to connect users with artists through the language of social media,” said Susana Voces, Managing Director of Eventim Spain. “This collaboration represents a step forward in the innovation of the ticketing sector, uniting technology, social media and live entertainment to offer fans a more direct and simple experience.”

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German promoters’ collection society GWVR has signed a licence agreement with TikTok.

The deal means that GWVR (Society for the Exercise of Promoters’ Rights) members will now receive remuneration for mobile videos and other video recordings on TikTok of their events.

“The agreement with TikTok not only brings the event organisers money but also paves the way for further cooperation between TikTok, the artists and promoters,” says GWVR MD Dr. Johannes Ulbricht. “There is still a lot of potential here that we will tap into together.

“After the agreement with the public broadcasters, the agreement with TikTok is now the second piece of good news for promoters – and we see a good chance of further good news this year.”

He adds: “On behalf of our members, we would like to thank everyone who believed in this project, especially our advisory board members, Dieter Semmelmann, Frithjof Pils, Stefan Schulz and his team at ConvertMedia, Barbara Jovanovic, the team at our partner BDKV, and the many other important supporters.”

GWVR allows organisers of concerts and live events in Germany to earn royalties from the use of audiovisual content

GWVR was launched in 2017 and allows organisers of concerts and live events in Germany – international promoters included – to earn royalties from the use of audiovisual content, such as live albums and concert films, captured at their shows.

Promoters from Germany and abroad can join GWVR and receive remuneration for the exploitation of their concerts on the German market via the GWVR. Artists can also become members if they are at least partially responsible for the organisation and financing of their concerts.

TikTok launched a global partnership with German-headquartered live entertainment giant CTS Eventim earlier this year.

The video app also expanded its collaboration with Ticketmaster last year to more than 20 new markets following the launch of the partnership in the US in 2022, and also confirmed a link-up with AEG’s AXS.

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Pan-European live entertainment company CTS Eventim has become the latest ticketing giant to launch a global partnership with TikTok.

A new ticketing feature, which will enable fans to discover tour dates and buy tickets through CTS from within the TikTok platform, is available now in Germany, with rollout in other markets set to begin shortly.

“We are very excited to launch this new partnership in Germany, where Eventim holds a strong position in the ticketing market,” says TikTok’s global music partnership development lead Michael Kümmerle. “We want to give artists the opportunity to promote their live dates and drive ticket sales through great partners like Eventim, and we look forward to bringing this opportunity to artists all over the world in the near future.”

“Artists gain incredible reach through the TikTok platform… This new partnership will allow them to translate that reach into an effective new marketing channel”

Any Certified Artist on TikTok in participating countries can select CTS Eventim under the “Add link” option before posting a video and can then search for any event on CTS  and select “Add to video” to add the link. Once creators share their video, TikTok users will see a “Get Tickets” button within the video description that directs them to CTS, where they can buy tickets.

The video app expanded its partnership with Ticketmaster last year to more than 20 new markets following the launch of the link-up in the US in 2022, and recently confirmed a link-up with AEG’s AXS.

“As a partner to artists and concert promoters in Europe and globally, we’re always looking for ways to enrich our services to them,” says CTS Eventim COO Alexander Ruoff. “Artists gain incredible reach through the TikTok platform – so we’re delighted this new partnership will allow them to translate that reach into an effective new marketing channel.”

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TikTok has partnered with AXS to offer fans a new way to discover and buy tickets to live events.

The in-app ticketing feature enables Certified Artists on TikTok to promote their live dates to new and existing fans globally on the platform by allowing them to add their AXS event links to their videos before publishing.

The feature, which sees AXS become the second major ticketing firm to team with TikTok, will initially go live in the US, UK, Sweden and Australia, with other markets to follow.

“TikTok’s partnership with AXS allows us to connect millions of users with legendary artists, venues, and festivals, and allows artists to promote their live dates and reach their audience in a whole new way,” says TikTok’s global music partnership development lead Michael Kümmerle. “We are very excited to start this journey with AXS and look forward to supporting the further growth of ticketing on TikTok in the future.”

“The partnership will provide seamless ticket-buying access to some of the world’s most iconic venues, festivals, and tours”

TikTok is now an official discovery partner in the AXS Anywhere programme, joining the likes of Spotify, Bandsintown and others. AXS Anywhere allows venues, artists and partners to drive additional sales and revenue by reaching fans where they discover events with targeted ticket offers and experiences.

“TikTok has become one of the most important global platforms for music content attracting an incredible community of artists and fans.” adds AXS chief strategy officer Marc Ruxin. “By combining the reach and influence of TikTok artists with AXS’ global ticketing platform, the partnership will provide seamless ticket-buying access to some of the world’s most iconic venues, festivals, and tours. This is the perfect example of discovery-driven content and commerce for music fans.”

The move comes after TikTok expanded its ticketing partnership with Ticketmaster last year to more than 20 new markets following the launch of the link-up in the US in 2022.

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TikTok global head of music operations Paul Hourican is reportedly leaving the company.

Hourican announced his departure in an email to staff and partners, obtained by Music Business Worldwide.

The London-based executive joined the ByteDance-owned business in November 2019 as head of music operations for the UK and Europe.

“After four and a half amazing years and with a lifetime’s worth of memories and achievements in the bag, I have made the decision to move on from TikTok and I’m excited about what the future holds,” said Hourican in the email.

During his time with the video hosting platform, Hourican initially focused on the major music markets across Europe, taking responsibility for music strategy and its execution in the region. He went on to lead a team to coordinate the company’s music campaigns globally, including its work with artists and labels.

“I’ve learned so much and got to work with such amazing people at one of the most innovative and exciting platforms the music business has ever seen”

“I started back in 2019 when the rocket ship they call TikTok was truly beginning to take off and it’s basically been a runaway train since then,” added Hourican.

“I’ve learned so much and got to work with such amazing people at one of the most innovative and exciting platforms the music business has ever seen.”

Prior to joining TikTok, Hourican worked as the head of international artist marketing at YouTube, in New York, between 2017 and 2019. Previously, he was a music curation lead at the platform between 2015 and 2017.

Before he worked at YouTube, Hourican was the head of talent and music at MTV UK in London.

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TikTok has revealed its “first-of-its-kind” live global experience In The Mix was the biggest ever live event ever to take place on the platform.

Held in front of a sold-out 17,000 crowd at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ on Sunday 10 December, In The Mix starred headliners Cardi B, Niall Horan, Anitta, Charlie Puth, Offset and Peso Pluma.

The five-hour music event pulled in more than 33.5 million unique viewers for the original broadcast and subsequent rebroadcasts of the show, with 9.6m tuning in to watch the show live.

The experience was streamed globally via TikTok LIVE, with video and event production designed specifically for its unique vertical format by award-winning director Hamish Hamilton and Done+Dusted.

“In The Mix was an awe-inspiring event where fans and artists came together to celebrate what we love about TikTok”

“In The Mix was an awe-inspiring event where fans and artists came together to celebrate what we love about TikTok, where the power of the platform’s music discovery played out on stage,” says TikTok’s global head of music partnerships & programming Paul Hourican. “An event of this magnitude truly takes a village, thank you to the amazing line-up of incredible artists, our partners, the sold out crowd in Arizona, and the record breaking audience who watched around the world in their millions on TikTok.”

In The Mix, which was co-produced by TikTok and GroupM Motion Entertainment, and sponsored by Paramount and Coca Cola, also showcased special performances by Reneé Rapp, as well as emerging artists from TikTok’s Elevate programme, Isabel LaRosa, Kaliii, LU KALA, and Sam Barber.

A one-hour special featuring highlights from the event is available to watch now on Disney+ and Hulu.

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TikTok and Ticketmaster are expanding their ticketing partnership to more than 20 new markets, following the launch of the partnership in the US in 2022.

Now, any Certified Artist on TikTok in the participating countries can promote their live dates by adding their Ticketmaster event links to videos before publishing.

Participating countries are the UK, Ireland, Australia, Germany, France, Canada, Mexico, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Spain and Sweden.

So far, the partnership has seen ticketing campaigns for both established and emerging artists, comedians and sports teams, including Niall Horan, The Kooks, Burna Boy and Shania Twain.

According to TM, there have been more than 2.5 billion views of videos utilising the in-app features by artists, sports teams and event organisers since its beta launch.

“We’re giving artists the opportunity to reach ticket buyers in a whole new way”

“This is an exciting moment for the millions of passionate music fans in the TikTok community,” says Michael Kümmerle, global music partnership development lead, TikTok.

“By enabling fans to buy tickets directly through TikTok, we’re giving artists the opportunity to reach ticket buyers in a whole new way and change the game for live events around the world. As we bring fans closer to the artists and events they love, we hope to deliver further value to all artists throughout all stages of their careers and provide more opportunities for a growing fanbase. We are very excited to see how our partnership with Ticketmaster will develop over time.”

Michael Chua, VP of global business development & strategic partnerships, Ticketmaster, adds: “Today’s music lives on a global stage and the demand for ‘live’ has never been greater. Through our partnership, TikTok and Ticketmaster are empowering artists to easily connect their content to event discovery and ticket purchase in-app making it easier than ever for fans around the world to experience their favorite artists live.”

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TikTok has announced its first-ever global music experience, with headline sets by ‘four of the biggest genre-defining artists’ on the platform.

Cardi B, Niall Horan, Anitta and Charlie Puth will perform in the round at Sloan Park in Arizona, US, on 10 December for a live audience.

In The Mix will also see performances from four artists on TikTok’s emerging artist programme, TikTok Elevate: Isabel LaRosa, Kaliii, LU KALA, and Sam Barber.

The experience will be streamed globally via TikTok LIVE, with video and event production designed specifically for its unique vertical format by award-winning director Hamish Hamilton and Done+Dusted.

Alongside performances, In the Mix will bring to life TikTok’s For You feed, with a range of activities inspired by the community’s favourite trends. Tickets for the event will go on sale on 2 November and range from $25 to $60.

“Our vision is to create a show that is reimagined for the TikTok era and our music-loving global community”

“No other platform mixes music, creativity and community like TikTok. With In The Mix, our goal is to bring the For You feed to life for fans at the venue and on TikTok,” says Paul Hourican, TikTok’s global head of music partnerships and programming. “Our vision is to create a show that is reimagined for the TikTok era and our music-loving global community.”

Cardi B (@iamcardib) boasts over 23.6M followers and 29.6B #cardib views on the platform. In 2021, her smash hit ‘Up’ was the centre of a viral trend as fans choreographed routines to the song with over 1.3M videos.

Niall Horan (@niallhoran) connects with his six million global ‘lovers’ on TikTok by regularly engaging via the Duet and Stitch features, while Charlie Puth (@charlieputh) frequently shares a glimpse of his creative process and perfect pitch with his 22.1M fans.

Brazilian Anitta (@anitta) has garnered over 22.7M followers and over 21.3B views. She often shows off her complex dance routines and provides fans with a behind-the-scenes look at her performances.

Last year, Anitta shared a video in which she performed her hit ‘Envolver’ which inspired millions of fans to recreate the routine themselves, generating 2.1M videos on TikTok.

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A handful of top agents and festival bookers reflected on the power of festival lineups, audiences’ spending patterns and the impact of social media in the second panel of the 2023 International Festival Forum (IFF).

Moderated by Ticketmaster’s Dan Pearce (UK), today’s ‘The Audience Session — Community Matters’ panel brought together Niek Murraij (Pinkpop Festival, Netherlands), Virág Csiszár (Sziget Festival, Hungary), Sophie Roberts (United Talents Agency, UK), and David Mogendorff (TikTok, UK) at London’s Omeara venue.

As TikTok’s head of artist services across Europe, Mogendorff praised the impact the app has had in driving engagement and excitement towards annual summer festivities.

“It’s been an incredible year for festival content on TikTok,” he said. “We saw a huge amount of growth during the lockdown period. And over the last two years, we’ve seen some great content coming from artists and festivals, but mainly from fans.”

Having analysed around 100 festivals across the UK, Pearce pointed out that 2023 saw a 15% increase in ticket sales compared to last year. While it’s a “standout statistic”, he noted that it tends to change on a yearly basis, confirming a long-held theory that festival-goers care more about who’s on the lineup than the actual festival experience itself — which includes being in a safe environment, on top of other factors such as food & beverage and availability of facilities.

“Festivals have to be clever with the way they announce lineups… so that tickets can be purchased much earlier”

It’s a sentiment Roberts agreed with. “The lineup remains king,” she said. “It’s great that people care about the music, but that’s also been difficult for festival organisers because of the huge amount of stadium business happening right now,” also citing how vital lineup announcements are when it comes to selling tickets as quickly as possible.

“Add the fact that there’s only a finite amount of ad space, and people will only have a certain amount of attention for lineups coming out. Nowadays, festivals have to be clever with the way they announce lineups to ensure maximum attendance so that tickets can be purchased much earlier than they have been in recent times.”

“It’s a tricky situation to navigate, but we always want to announce lineups as early as possible,” Csiszár said. “Lineups are still very important to people, and the data being shown reflects this. Their satisfaction correlates with the acts booked to perform upon the official announcement.”

Another major talking point was the role of volunteer staff contributing to festivals, with Pearce also mentioning how some UK festivals received bad press for making volunteers pay a deposit that they will get back if they turn up to their allocated shifts accordingly. However, the rest of the panel were effusive in their praise for volunteers (Pearce stated they were the “lifeline of the post-pandemic festivals”), highlighting the important role they played as the industry continues to recover from the pandemic.

“We had a lot of last-minute volunteers this year,” Murraij said. “However, we were able to foster a great community with those who attended for work and did their duties in a diligent manner. We’re thankful for working with a focused group of volunteers, who consistently showed up for their shifts, and we can create a great bond with them for many years.”

“While it’s important to have local acts in our lineups, we have to manage international fans’ expectations”

Alongside the increased role of volunteers in ensuring that festivals run smoothly, the panel rounded off their discussion with the rising prominence of local/domestic talents in major shows — which has been another knock-on effect brought about by the pandemic.

“Over the last few years, we’ve seen a massive growth in local music and in the UK and other markets around Europe,” Mogendorff said. “Some of it has been caused by the decreasing influence the US has over the musical landscape as well, with talents from Africa and the Far East also racking up huge listener numbers in recent years.”

“I’m not sure that we’ll see a Dutch act headline a major festival yet, but compared to a decade ago, we’re certainly seeing more Dutch acts on our bill,” says Murraij. “They’re selling out venues like the 17,000-capacity Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam right now, and there’s bigger demand for domestic acts these days.”

However, Murraij did note that headliners will retain an international majority for the time being, which Csiszár agreed with. “While it’s important to have local acts in our lineups, we have to manage international fans’ expectations and have those global talents as headliners on the main stage,” she said. “Saying that, it’s very pleasing to see Hungarian artists do very well in stadium shows across the country.”

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IQ 122, the latest issue of the international live music industry’s favourite magazine, is available to read online now.

The September edition charts Stephan Thanscheidt’s journey from playing in punk bands to the CEO of FKP Scorpio, and analyses the lineups of 50 top European festivals, in collaboration with ROSTR.

Meanwhile, Mark Beaumont visits Sziget as the event celebrates 30 years and Adam Woods gives us the low down on the lowlands for this issue’s Netherlands market focus.

Elsewhere James Hanley shines a light on ten of Europe’s brightest indie festivals and finds out what makes them so special and, IQ reveals the Green Guardians 2023, our annual guide to the eco-warriors and innovators striving to make our venues and events more sustainable.

Plus, leading production managers weigh in while we profile several innovations new for the 2023 season.

For this edition’s columns and comments, Shain Shapiro discusses how we should be leading the change when it comes to supporting our local venues, and Michael Kümmerle explains how TikTok wants to expand promoters’ horizons.

As always, the majority of the magazine’s content will appear online in some form in the next four weeks.

However, if you can’t wait for your fix of essential live music industry features, opinion and analysis, click here to subscribe to IQ from just £8 a month – or check out what you’re missing out on with the limited preview below:

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