-Divyesh Gawas
If you had 12,000$ with you, what would you do with it? Maybe spend on a nice holiday, invest it somewhere, or maybe donate it. All of these seem solid choices, but would you spend it on a music concert?
That’s exactly what happened when Coldplay announced a show in India for January 2025. Initially priced at just $25 on BookMyShow, more than 13 million fans tried to grab one of the 150,000 available tickets. Within hours, tickets were being resold for thousands of dollars. Why did this happen? What caused such a frenzy, and what does this say about the future of India's growing middle class? And more importantly, what’s behind these skyrocketing prices?
What Happened Exactly?
When Coldplay announced their upcoming concerts in India, it quickly turned into a ticketing frenzy, with over 10 million fans scrambling for just 180,000 available tickets on BookMyShow. The tickets, priced between 2,500 to 12,000 rupees, sold out in mere minutes, leaving many frustrated with long online queues and site crashes. As the chaos unfolded, tickets began appearing on reselling platforms for outrageous prices, some reaching as high as 900,000 rupees, which sparked debates about ticket scalping and whether the sales process was fair.
Why Everyone Wants a Piece of Coldplay
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
A key player in this ticket frenzy is FOMO — our instinctual fear of missing out. In today’s hyper-connected world, social media has amplified this feeling to new heights. Just imagine your friends and influencers are posting about their excitement for the concert, sharing stories from Coldplay’s past performances, and you can’t help but be jealous. What if everyone has an incredible time without you?
This emotional pull makes people rush to decisions, like scrambling for buying the music concert tickets. As the buzz around Coldplay’s concert grew online, it created a sense of urgency among fans. Suddenly, attending this concert became not just a desire but a necessity — a chance to be part of something bigger.
The Rise Of Indian Middle Class
Another key player here is the rise of India’s Middle Class. According to the PRICE survey, around 450 million Indians were classified as “middle class in 2020. This number is said to double to reach 1 billion in 2047. This isn’t just about having a little extra cash to spend; it represents a whole new way of life for many people.
As these individuals gain more financial stability, they’re not just focused on necessities anymore. They’re looking for ways to enrich their lives with experiences, and attending concerts is becoming a big part of that. It’s about more than just enjoying the music; it’s a chance to be part of something exciting and share memorable moments with friends.
Conclusion
The Coldplay ticket frenzy might seem like a fun reflection of India’s growing consumer culture, but it raises concerns about how social media and celebrity influence drive impulsive decisions. The FOMO that led millions to try for tickets shows how short-term excitement can often overshadow long-term financial priorities. While the rise of the middle class is a sign of progress, the focus on spending over saving points to gaps in financial literacy. India’s future economic growth depends not just on consumption but on more responsible financial habits, something this ticket rush brings to light.
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