The war against ticket scalpers has a new front line. Openstage, the fan data platform that powered recent high profile tours for Radiohead and Oasis, has officially launched Ticket Unlocks for all artists. This system moves away from easily leaked presale codes and instead ties ticket access directly to individual fan identities.
How Ticket Unlocks Works
The system operates as a four stage security layer that sits on top of existing platforms like Ticketmaster and AXS.
- Direct Registration: Fans sign up through a branded artist portal rather than a third party site.
- Identity Validation: Openstage uses advanced security software to verify human users and filter out the automated bots that diverted 3.14 billion dollars from the artist economy last year.
- Invite Only Access: Artists use their own data to decide who gets an “Unlock Pass.” This can be a weighted lottery, a reward for long term loyalty, or a prioritization for local residents.
- Secure Checkout: Verified fans receive unique credentials to purchase their tickets through standard providers.
Proven Success for Megastars
The launch follows a series of successful tests with some of the biggest names in music. Radiohead utilized a weighted lottery system for their highly anticipated 2026 reunion tour, ensuring that tickets went to active community members rather than professional resellers. Similarly, Bad Bunny used SMS validation to ensure that local Puerto Rican fans received first priority for his massive 30 show residency at “El Choli.”
Hayley Williams, who recently used Ticket Unlocks for her “At A Bachelorette Party” tour, noted that the system gives her fans a significantly better chance at securing face value tickets. By disabling transfers in select markets and requiring identity checks, Williams and Openstage have created a walled garden that scalpers find nearly impossible to penetrate.
The Future of Artist Control
For the 600 artists already on the Openstage platform, this update offers a rare level of transparency. Rob Sealy, the co founder of Openstage, explains that the goal is to give artists the infrastructure to see exactly who bought a ticket and where unmet demand still lives. As the industry moves toward a more direct to fan model in 2026, Ticket Unlocks is proving that the best way to beat the bots is to stop selling to anonymous buyers altogether.
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