How Reliable Is Pollstar for Concert Tickets and Tour Data?

When you’re trying to find out when your favorite band is coming to town, or if a sold-out show really did sell 18,000 tickets, you probably turn to Pollstar. It’s the name that pops up in press releases, industry reports, and even fan forums. But here’s the real question: Pollstar is widely used - but how reliable is it?

Pollstar doesn’t sell tickets. It doesn’t run fan sites or post setlists. What it does is track and report concert attendance, box office sales, and tour schedules. For industry insiders - promoters, agents, venue managers - it’s a baseline. For fans? It’s often the only official source they have to confirm if a show is real, when it’s happening, and how many people actually showed up.

Here’s the catch: Pollstar’s data isn’t real-time. It’s compiled from reports submitted by promoters, venues, and ticketing platforms. That means there’s a lag. A show that sold out last Friday might not show up in Pollstar’s public database until Wednesday. And if a promoter forgets to file the report - which happens more often than you’d think - the data just doesn’t appear. I’ve seen fans get angry over missing tour dates on Pollstar, only to find out the show was announced on the band’s Instagram two days earlier. Pollstar isn’t a news feed. It’s an archive.

Accuracy? It’s good, but not perfect. In 2023, a study by the International Live Events Association compared Pollstar’s reported attendance numbers against direct venue records from 47 major North American arenas. The average margin of error was 3.8%. That’s solid for an industry that relies on thousands of independent operators. But that 3.8% can mean the difference between a show being labeled "sold out" or "close to sold out" - and that matters when you’re trying to prove a tour’s success to a label or sponsor.

Some venues and promoters don’t report at all. Smaller clubs, outdoor festivals with multiple stages, and international shows - especially in Europe and Asia - often fly under Pollstar’s radar. I once tracked a tour by a major indie band that played 14 shows across Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands. Pollstar listed only five. The rest? Never reported. The band’s manager told me they didn’t bother because "Pollstar doesn’t pay us, and our local promoters don’t care."

When it comes to ticket sales numbers, Pollstar relies on data from partners like Ticketmaster, Live Nation, and AXS. But not every ticketing system feeds into it. Smaller platforms like Bandsintown, Eventbrite, or local box offices often don’t share data. That means if you bought tickets through a venue’s own website - not Ticketmaster - your purchase might not count toward Pollstar’s totals. This skews the picture, especially for niche genres like jazz, folk, or electronic acts that often use independent sellers.

Then there’s the issue of double-counting. Sometimes, a single concert gets reported twice - once by the venue and once by the promoter. Or a rescheduled date gets listed as a new show. I’ve seen shows with identical lineups, venues, and dates appear twice in Pollstar’s database, inflating totals. There’s no automated system to flag duplicates. Someone has to catch them manually, and with thousands of events per week, mistakes slip through.

For fans, this means you shouldn’t treat Pollstar like a gospel. If you’re trying to figure out if a show is legit, cross-check it. Look at the artist’s official website. Check their social media. See if local media outlets are covering the announcement. If the venue has a ticketing page live, that’s your best bet. Pollstar is a useful second source - not a first.

For industry professionals, Pollstar is still essential. It’s the closest thing the live music world has to a standard ledger. Labels use it to judge tour viability. Investors look at Pollstar charts when deciding who to back. But even they know the gaps. Top-tier promoters often run their own internal dashboards that pull from multiple sources - including Pollstar, venue POS systems, and direct ticketing feeds. Pollstar is one piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture.

Compare it to Boxscore, another data provider. Boxscore is newer, more aggressive about collecting data, and often includes smaller venues. But it’s not as widely recognized. Pollstar has brand authority. It’s been around since 1974. Its name carries weight. That’s why even when its numbers are off, people still cite them. It’s the default reference point.

So is Pollstar reliable? Yes - if you understand its limits. It’s not a live feed. It’s not always complete. But it’s the most consistent, long-standing source we have. For big tours in North America and Western Europe, it’s usually accurate. For indie acts, international gigs, or last-minute changes? Don’t trust it alone. Always verify with official channels.

The bottom line: Pollstar gives you a snapshot - not a live stream. Use it to confirm trends, not to chase rumors. If you’re planning to attend a show, rely on the artist’s site or the venue’s box office. If you’re analyzing the music business, Pollstar is your starting point - not your finish line.

What kind of data does Pollstar actually track?

Pollstar collects three main types of data: tour schedules, attendance figures, and gross revenue. Tour schedules include dates, venues, cities, and opening acts. Attendance numbers are reported per show - how many tickets were sold, not how many people showed up. Gross revenue is the total ticket sales, before fees and taxes. It doesn’t track merchandise sales, VIP packages, or streaming numbers. It also doesn’t report on canceled or postponed shows unless they’re rescheduled and re-reported.

Who uses Pollstar data?

Primarily, it’s the music industry. Promoters use it to justify tour budgets. Record labels use it to assess artist draw. Agents use it to negotiate better deals. Media outlets like Billboard and Rolling Stone cite Pollstar in their charts. Even financial analysts tracking live entertainment stocks rely on it. Fans use it too - but mostly for historical reference, not real-time updates.

Can you trust Pollstar for international shows?

Not always. Pollstar has strong coverage in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and Western Europe. But in countries like Brazil, India, South Korea, or Nigeria, reporting is patchy. Local promoters may not have the resources to submit data, or may not even know about Pollstar. For international tours, you’re better off checking local ticketing sites or artist social media.

Is Pollstar the only source for concert data?

No. Boxscore, Luminate, and AEG’s internal systems also track concert data. Boxscore often has more granular data on smaller venues. Luminate pulls from digital ticketing platforms and includes digital ticket sales. But none of them have the same legacy or industry recognition as Pollstar. Most professionals use multiple sources and cross-reference.

Why do some shows never appear on Pollstar?

Three main reasons: 1) The promoter didn’t file a report. 2) The show was booked through a non-partner ticketing platform. 3) It was a private event, charity gig, or festival side-stage that wasn’t considered "commercial" enough to report. Many indie artists play 100-cap clubs that don’t bother with formal reporting - and Pollstar doesn’t force them to.