An artist presale is a ticket sale that opens before the general public sale, and you get in by signing up through the artist’s own presale page ahead of time. Signing up does not reserve a ticket. It gives you a chance to join the sale early, and what you do in the minutes before and after it opens decides whether you get seats. This guide covers how to sign up, what to expect on the day, and how to avoid the mistakes that cost fans tickets.
TL;DR
- An artist presale lets fans who registered in advance buy before the general sale. Registration is a chance to participate, not a guaranteed ticket.
- Sign up on the artist’s presale page, or find it through their ticketing page or social accounts. Once the sign-up window closes, you cannot join that presale.
- Many Ticketmaster artist presales need no code. You get an email reminder with an access link, usually the day before.
- A presale does not promise a lower price or better seats. Check ticket limits, fees and the final total before you pay.
- Prepare your account, payment method and device ahead of time, and join the waiting room early if one is offered.
Table of Contents
- What an artist presale is
- How to sign up for an artist presale
- Do you need a code?
- Who gets access and what verification to expect
- What to do on presale day
- Are presale tickets cheaper? Prices, fees and limits
- Common mistakes that cost fans tickets
- Our perspective
- Keep track of presales and onsales
- FAQ
- Sources
What an artist presale is
An artist presale is an early sale organized around fans who raised their hand first. Ticketmaster describes it as a sale that fans who sign up in advance can join before the general sale. The artist’s team decides how many tickets go into it and who gets access.
The idea behind it is simple. As Radio Times explains, an artist’s team may arrange with ticketing platforms to get tickets directly to fan club members or people who signed up in advance. The artist rewards their most engaged listeners, and those listeners get a head start on everyone else.
That makes it different from other kinds of early access. The same Ticketmaster page notes that other presale types exist, such as those tied to a venue, Live Nation, a credit card company or a mobile network, and each has its own eligibility rules. If you see “presale” on an event page, check which kind it is before you plan around it.
Artist presale versus general sale
In a general sale, anyone can try to buy once the on-sale time hits. In an artist presale, the pool of buyers is smaller because only people who registered can get in. That sounds like a guaranteed edge, but a popular tour can still draw far more registrants than there are tickets. Treat the presale as a better starting position, not a sure thing.
How to sign up for an artist presale
The sign-up step is where most fans lose out, because the window is often short and easy to miss. Here is the process, based on Ticketmaster’s own help guidance:
- Find the sign-up page. Start on the artist’s official website. If you cannot find it, check the artist’s page on the ticketing site or their social media accounts, where tour announcements usually link straight to registration.
- Sign in to your ticketing account. Use the same account you will use to buy. Creating or updating it now saves time later.
- Select the shows you want. Pick the cities and dates that work for you. Choose more than one if you can travel, because it widens your options.
- Review your selections. Check the details before you continue.
- Submit before the window closes. This is the step that matters most.
The deadline is firm. According to Ticketmaster and Live Nation guidance, once a sign-up window has closed, fans cannot join the artist presale for that event and have to wait for the general sale. Set a reminder the moment a tour is announced, and look for the closing time on the sign-up page rather than assuming you have days.
Where to find out a tour is coming
Artists usually announce a tour and the sign-up link together on their website and social channels. Following the artists you care about, and turning on email notifications from their official sites, is the most dependable way to learn about a presale in time. If you want help tracking announcements and on-sale dates in one place, our Ticket News Hub homepage covers tour dates, onsale information and presale guides for fans.
Do you need a code?
This is the question behind most searches for artist presales, and the answer is: it depends on the platform and the type of presale.
Per Ticketmaster’s help page, some presales require a special code that you enter on the event page, while for some fan-club presales on Ticketmaster you will not need a code. If you register for an artist presale on Ticketmaster, you receive a reminder with a link. A code may be required if another company handles ticketing for that presale.
Ticketmaster’s own blog on how presales work makes the same point from the company’s side: for Ticketmaster artist presales that require advance signup, no code is needed, because your account is recognized when you join the queue.
So the practical rule is:
- You registered through the artist’s page: wait for the email. It will carry either a link, a code, or both.
- The email includes a code: enter it where the instructions say, on the event page, at the time the presale opens.
- A code from a random post or comment: treat it with caution. Codes that matter are sent to you directly after you sign up, and a code that appears publicly may be for a different type of presale or may have expired.
This is why we focus our guides on preparation rather than hunting for codes. Signing up on time and having your account ready does more for you than any shared code.
Who gets access and what verification to expect
Anyone can usually sign up, but signing up is not the same as being selected or guaranteed entry. Ticketmaster notes that additional requirements may apply to an artist presale, including a security check. Some fans may be asked for a selfie, and in rare cases for ID through a verification service called Persona. These steps exist to keep resellers and automated buyers out of the sale.
Two things follow from that:
- Do the verification steps as soon as you are asked. Leaving them until the presale starts is how people end up locked out.
- Use accurate account details. A name, email and phone number that match your payment method make checkout smoother.
Read Dork’s guide to artist presales puts the mindset well: access is like opening a door, not a guarantee. It does not set aside a ticket for you or move you to the front of the queue. Go in expecting competition, and prepare accordingly.
What to do on presale day
The presale itself is quick, so most of the work happens before it starts.
The day before
After you register successfully, you typically get an email reminder the day before the sale, containing the access link, according to Ticketmaster’s help page. Find that email, check that it is not in spam or a promotions tab, and save the link somewhere easy to reach.
At the same time:
- Confirm the start time for your time zone. Ticketmaster’s help center notes that sale times can be shown in local venue time, so a show in another city may start at a different hour on your clock.
- Update your saved payment method and billing address.
- Decide in advance how many tickets you need, your maximum budget, and which sections you would accept.
- Agree with friends who is buying, so you do not compete with each other.
When the sale starts
Follow the link in your email. When the sale begins, it takes you into a waiting room or queue. Once it is your turn, you use the interactive map to pick seats and go to checkout. Ticketmaster’s guidance and Read Dork both say to use the link and timing in your email and to join the waiting room if one is offered.
A few habits help:
- Join a few minutes early rather than at the exact start.
- Use one device and one browser tab. Opening several can cause problems with your place in line.
- Do not refresh repeatedly once you are in the queue.
- Keep your payment details ready, and move through checkout without stopping to compare.
We explain how the queue works, and what is and is not worth doing while you wait, in our guide to the Ticketmaster waiting room.
If seats you wanted are gone
If the map shows little availability, be flexible. Try a different section, a different date or fewer tickets together. Presale inventory is chosen by the promoter and is not always the best seating in the building. Ticketek Australia notes that presale allocations are at the promoter’s discretion and not necessarily the best in the venue, and the same logic applies to presales in the U.S.
Are presale tickets cheaper? Prices, fees and limits
Not necessarily. Read Dork is clear that a presale code does not promise a particular ticket price or seat. A presale is about timing, not discounts. Before you pay, look at three things:
| What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Ticket limit | Limits are enforced during presales, and Ticketmaster may cancel orders that go over the posted limit. |
| Final price | Compare the all-in total at checkout, including fees, not just the face value shown on the map. |
| Terms | Read what the order includes, and what the sale conditions say about transfers or changes. |
The limit rule is easy to overlook. If you and a friend both buy four tickets with a limit of four per account in the same sale, you are fine, but splitting one large order across several attempts to get around a limit can get orders cancelled. Stay inside the posted number.
If you want a lower price, the better approach is to compare your options at the general sale and any other legitimate offers for the same show, rather than assuming early access means savings. Our site tracks promo code updates and deal comparisons for that reason.
Common mistakes that cost fans tickets
- Missing the sign-up window. Once it closes, you are in the general sale with everyone else.
- Registering with an account you have not used in a while. Password resets and verification checks eat up precious minutes.
- Waiting for a code that is never coming. For many artist presales, the link in your reminder email is the access.
- Confusing presale types. A credit card or venue presale has different rules than an artist presale, and a signup for one does not count for another.
- Going in with no plan. Know your sections, your budget and your fallback dates before the queue opens.
- Assuming registration equals a ticket. It does not. Plan for the possibility that you will not get through, and know what your general sale options are.
Our perspective
Fans do not miss out because they lack an insider trick. They miss out because nobody explained the order of events: sign up early, check the email, get through verification, join the queue, buy fast. Once you understand that sequence, a presale stops feeling like a secret club.
That is why we write about preparation instead of promising a magic code. We are independent of ticket vendors, and we would rather tell you plainly that a presale gives early access and not a guarantee, and then show you how to use that access well. Free memberships, artist sign-ups and card or venue perks are all legitimate routes, and combining a few of them gives you more chances than relying on one.
Our goal is simple: fewer fans frustrated by a sale they did not understand, and more fans in the building on the night.
Capital
Keep track of presales and onsales
We publish presale walkthroughs, tour and onsale date coverage, and promo code updates so you can see what is coming and plan ahead. Start from the Ticket News Hub homepage to browse the latest, or read our waiting room guide before your next sale.
If you already know which artist you want to see, our artist pages collect tour dates, seating charts and deal information in one place, such as the Brandi Carlile tour and seating page.
FAQ
What is an artist presale on Ticketmaster?
It is a sale that opens before the general sale for fans who signed up in advance through the artist’s presale page. The artist’s team arranges it with the ticketing platform. Signing up lets you take part in the sale, but it does not guarantee tickets.
How do I get access to an artist presale?
Register on the artist’s sign-up page before the window closes, selecting the shows you want. You will usually get an email the day before the sale with your access link. When the sale starts, use that link to enter the waiting room and buy.
Do I need a presale code for an artist presale?
Not always. For many Ticketmaster artist presales that require advance signup, your account is recognized and no code is needed. A code may be required if another company handles ticketing for the presale, and it will be sent to you after you register.
Can I still join an artist presale after sign-up closes?
No. Once the sign-up window closes, fans cannot join that presale and must wait for the general sale. Set a reminder when the tour is announced so you register in time.
Are artist presale tickets cheaper than general sale tickets?
Not as a rule. A presale gives earlier access, but it does not promise a lower price or a particular seat. Check the ticket limit, the terms and the total price with fees before you buy.
Sources
- How do presales work? – Ticketmaster Help
- How do I sign up and access tickets through an artist’s presale – Ticketmaster Help
- What is an artist pre-sale and how does it work? – Radio Times
- How artist presales work, and what to check before buying – Read Dork
- How Ticket Presales Work – Ticketmaster Blog
- Ticketmaster Help
- What is a Pre-sale & How do I sign up? – Ticketek Australia
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