How to Set Up Ticket Alerts for Your Favourite Artists

Finding out about a concert three days after tickets sold out is one of the most frustrating experiences for any music fan. The good news is that most ticketing platforms, venues, and artists offer alert systems that notify you the moment tickets go on sale. Setting these up takes a few minutes and can save you from ever missing an on-sale again.

Ticketing platform alerts

The major ticketing platforms all offer notification features. Here is how to set them up on the most popular ones:

Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster lets you follow artists and venues. When you create an account and search for an artist, you will see a "Follow" or "Get Alerts" option on their page. Enabling this sends you email notifications when new events are announced and when tickets go on sale. You can manage your followed artists in your account settings and choose whether you want email notifications, push notifications through the app, or both.

See Tickets

See Tickets allows you to sign up for event-specific notifications. When you visit the page for an upcoming event that is not yet on sale, look for the "Remind Me" or "Notify Me" button. You will receive an email when tickets become available. Their general newsletter also announces major on-sales.

AXS

AXS offers artist and venue alerts through its app and website. Create an account, follow your favourite artists, and enable notifications. The app is particularly useful for push notifications, which arrive faster than email.

DICE

DICE has a built-in notification system. Follow artists within the app and you will be notified when they announce new shows. DICE also operates a waiting list feature for sold-out events, so enabling notifications means you will be alerted if tickets become available through returns.

Venue and promoter mailing lists

Beyond the ticketing platforms themselves, signing up directly with venues and promoters gives you an additional layer of information. Many venues announce their programme to mailing list subscribers before the public announcement, and some offer subscriber-only pre-sale access.

Identify the venues you attend most frequently and sign up to their newsletters. The same goes for promoters. In the UK, companies like Live Nation, AEG Presents, Kilimanjaro Live, SJM Concerts, and DHP Family promote the majority of major concerts. Following their social media accounts and joining their mailing lists puts you closer to the source of announcements.

Artist channels

Artists themselves are often the first to announce tours and events. Follow them on:

• Email mailing lists -- sign up through the artist's official website. Fan club or mailing list members often get the first pre-sale access
• Instagram -- tour announcements are commonly made through Instagram posts and stories
• Twitter/X -- many artists announce dates here first, and you can turn on post notifications for specific accounts
• Spotify -- if you follow an artist on Spotify, you may receive notifications about upcoming shows near you through the app. Spotify also has a "Concerts" feed that shows events based on your listening history
• Bandsintown -- this app tracks artists based on your music library and sends alerts when they announce shows in your area. It integrates with Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms

Google Alerts and social media monitoring

For artists who tour infrequently or announce shows with little notice, setting up a Google Alert can help. Create an alert for phrases like "[artist name] UK tour" or "[artist name] concert 2026" and Google will email you when new web pages mention those terms.

On social media, turning on post notifications for specific artist accounts ensures their posts appear at the top of your feed. On Instagram and Twitter/X, tap the bell icon on an account's profile to enable this.

Aggregator sites and apps

Several services aggregate event listings from multiple sources, making it easier to keep track of announcements:

• Songkick -- tracks your music library and alerts you to concerts. Integrates with Spotify and can send notifications for newly announced events
• Ents24 -- a UK-focused event listing site that allows you to follow artists and venues and receive email alerts
• Skiddle -- particularly strong for festivals, club nights, and live music. Offers alerts for specific events, artists, and venues

Setting up a system that works

The key is to layer your alert sources so you have multiple chances to catch an announcement. Here is a practical approach:

1. Create accounts on the three or four ticketing platforms you use most and follow your favourite artists on each
2. Sign up to the mailing lists of your five to ten most-visited venues
3. Follow your must-see artists on at least one social platform with notifications turned on
4. Install Bandsintown or Songkick and connect your streaming account
5. Set up a dedicated email folder for ticket alerts so they do not get lost in your inbox

This might sound like a lot of alerts, but you can always fine-tune them over time. The goal is to make sure that when your favourite artist announces a show, you know about it within hours, not days.

Once you have your alerts set up, make sure you are ready to act on them. Our guide to using pre-sale codes explains how to take advantage of early access. And if you miss the initial sale despite your best efforts, our guide to buying tickets for sold-out events covers your next steps. For understanding what you will pay beyond the ticket price, see our breakdown of booking fees and surcharges.

Curious how tickts compares? See our side-by-side comparison of tickts vs DICE: fees, payouts, and features for UK organisers.