A police investigation has been launched in India following the swift sell-out of Coldplay’s upcoming tour tickets and their subsequent resale at exorbitant prices. Tickets, which originally went on sale through the official vendor BookMyShow (BMS) on September 22, were quickly sold out within minutes, prompting frustration among fans and allegations of scalping.
More than 700,000 people reportedly queued online to purchase tickets, but many were left empty-handed as the BMS website crashed amid the high demand. Fans soon discovered tickets being resold on unauthorized platforms, with prices surging to as much as $11,458 (approximately P600,000), a drastic jump from the original price of 2,500 Indian rupees ($29.81 or P1,600).
The situation escalated when Mumbai lawyer Amit Vyas filed a complaint, accusing BMS and its chief operating officer (COO) of collaborating with “black marketers” to exploit the ticket sales. “Not a single person that I know in Mumbai and outside Mumbai—no one got a ticket,” Vyas told CNN, urging authorities to crack down on bots and scalper tactics.
In response to the controversy, BookMyShow released a statement on X, denying any involvement with third-party resellers and condemning the practice of scalping. “Scalping is strictly condemned and punishable by law in India. We have filed a complaint with the police authorities and will provide complete support to them in the investigation of this matter,” the company said.
Despite the ongoing investigation, Coldplay’s three-night concert series in Mumbai, scheduled for early next year, remains on track. The issue has highlighted a growing global problem in the music industry, with ticket scalping affecting major artists like Taylor Swift during her Eras tour.
In the midst of these developments, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin announced that the band plans to release two more albums before retiring, with their 10th album, “Moon Music,” set for release on October 4.
