Country Music
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour Stumbles in London: Empty Seats, High Prices, and Mixed Reactions
Beyoncé’s long-awaited return to London for her Cowboy Carter tour was expected to be nothing short of spectacular. But when the lights dimmed and Queen Bey took the stage at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 5, something was clearly amiss: hundreds of empty seats stared back at her. Despite the star’s Grammy-winning album and a sold-out Renaissance tour just two years prior, Beyoncé’s first night of the UK leg showed signs of slipping momentum. Over 500 seats—many in restricted-view sections—remained unsold even as fans filed into the 62,000-capacity stadium. This surprising turnout comes amid reports of discounted ticket prices and last-minute resale listings flooding social media.
Fans had queued since as early as 4 a.m., some traveling across Europe for the show. Yet, despite that fervor, the stadium appeared patchy well into the performance—raising questions about the tour’s ticketing strategy, pricing, and broader appeal.
Why the Slow Start?
Observers point to a mix of high ticket prices and reduced demand for Beyoncé’s pivot to country. Restricted view seats still cost £71, while better spots climbed to nearly £300—a steep ask during a cost-of-living crisis. And while Cowboy Carter earned her a long-overdue Album of the Year Grammy, it may not carry the same mass appeal as her dance-heavy Renaissance material.
Adding to the intrigue, resale prices for some U.S. shows dropped to as low as $35, fueling speculation that the tour may be overestimating demand. Fans expressed disappointment on social media.
View this post on Instagram
Star Power Still Shines
Despite the lackluster attendance, Beyoncé delivered a powerhouse performance. The 40-song setlist included country-infused anthems like Texas Hold ‘Em alongside chart-toppers like Crazy in Love and Formation. Her daughters, Blue Ivy and Rumi, stole the show with surprise on-stage appearances—Rumi, only seven, beamed as Beyoncé sang Protector while cupping her daughter’s face in a tender moment that lit up social feeds.
Still, no surprise guests or viral moments could fully overshadow the sight of empty seats, especially in a city where Beyoncé once sold out five consecutive nights.
Beyoncé Shares the Spotlight with Daughters Blue Ivy and Rumi on ‘Cowboy Carter’ Tour
Can Beyonce Bounce Back?
Beyoncé UK tour has five more nights in London before heading to Paris and then back to the U.S. While superfans like Liam Ghassemi and Alex Schroer—who’ve followed her across continents—remain fiercely loyal, the empty sections suggest Beyoncé may need to rethink her pricing, marketing, or setlist if she wants Cowboy Carter to match the heights of her past tours.
As one attendee put it: “I came for a stadium experience but got a club crowd energy. It was still Beyoncé, but something felt off.”
With Beyoncé, the spectacle is never in doubt—but for now, the crowds are.
