question: Why when promoting a performance/show/talk do people say “Buy tickets NOW because this WILL sell out!”? Surely this fact renders their marketing unnecessary?
comment: Fear Of Missing Out. People will buy things more readily if they think they can't at a later date. It's the same strategy as "Limited Edition" or "Flash Sale".
passages: An example of artists being accused of "selling out" is the band Metallica, whose 1991 eponymous album has been considered the turning point in the band's musical direction; the band members were called the "poster boys for musical un-integrity" after the band attempted to sue fans who were downloading their music through Napster. The album, known as "The Black Album", saw critics and Bob Rock, the album’s producer, acknowledge that there was a move away from the band's previous thrash metal sound. Rock claimed that the change stemmed from the band’s desire to "make the leap to the big, big leagues", whilst some fans blamed Rock himself, going as far to eventually create an internet petition demanding the band cut their ties with him. However, other fans did not consider the change in sound to be significant enough to be considered "selling out," and others accepted the change as part of a natural evolution of the band’s style. Ultimately "The Black Album" became the band’s most commercially successful release, going 16x platinum. The differing reaction by fans to the album demonstrates the difficulty in labelling an artist as a "sellout" objectively.
   There are two distinct forms of "selling out" in terms of music. First, there is the use of the term "sell out" to refer to those who sign for major labels or to those who licence their music to companies for use in advertising that contradicts their apparent values. Secondly, the expression can refer to those who sacrifice their musical integrity through a change in their musical sound, sometimes due to pressure from major labels or in order to gain profit by making their music more appealing to a mainstream audience.
  
  Section::::In music and entertainment.:Music.:Record labels and advertising.
   Section::::In music and entertainment.:Music.:Musical integrity.
  
  Another definition of "selling out" refers to putting aside musical quality or original intentions in favor of commercial success, where a distinction is made for those who achieve success without changing their original sound. The difference between the two is often subjective. Whilst artists may change their musical direction for commercial reasons, such as pressure from major labels who require songs to appeal to mass markets, a change in sound may also be part of a natural progression of creative maturity.
   Stand-up comedians occasionally face accusations of "selling out." Comedians who start out in comedy clubs might often use foul language and blue humor in their routines. A comic who alters his or her routine by "sugar-coating" his language and using less-offensive material to obtain mainstream success may be accused of "selling out."
   In the weeks leading up the September 30 concert, it was announced that due to the quick sellout of Delmar Hall, an "Encore" concert was scheduled for December 2 at The Pageant.
  
  The band has not denied the possibility of more of these "pop-up" or annual concerts in the future, and have indicated that they'd be up for them if they were continually welcomed. Outside of that, the future of the band (including the possibility of recording some new music) is still up in the air.
  
  Section::::History.:2018 concerts.
   Section::::Video.
   Crowds on Demand has come under criticism for selling the pretense of fame and popularity. Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, an associate professor at the University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy, criticized the company for deceiving the public.
  
  A Washington Post columnist mentioned an e-mail he received advertising the company's “Celebrity Arrival Service” offered to politicians:
   The song is also referenced in The Aquabats' cover of Operation Ivy's "Knowledge", in which The MC Bat Commander leads a chorus of children in the song. At the beginning of the song, when the Commander tells the kids, "it's time to sing that song we learned today", the children all shout in unison, "Sell Out!", to which the Commander replies, "No, not that song, the other one!" The song appeared on "Take Warning", Operation Ivy tribute album which also included a cover of "Unity" by Reel Big Fish.
   An artist may also be accused of "selling out" after changes in artistic direction. This conclusion is often due to the perception that the reason for the artist changing artistic style or direction was simply potential material gain. This ignores other causes of artistic development, which may lead an artist in new directions from those that attracted their original fans. Artists' improvements in musical skill or change in taste may also account for the change.
   Comedian/actress Janeane Garofalo has described herself as a "sellout" based on her participation with the TV show "24" playing Janis Gold. Garofalo initially turned down the role because of the way the show depicted torture scenes, however changed her mind later on, saying in an interview, “Being unemployed and being flattered that someone wanted to work with me outweighed my stance [on torture].” Garofalo admitted to "selling out" for losing weight in order to gain more acting work.
  
  Section::::Criticism of the term.
   Other times, artists (including those with politically oriented messages) resent the term on the grounds that the perceived desire for material gain is simply a result of the band seeking to expand its message. To such artists, "not" going mainstream or signing to a bigger label to avoid "selling out" prevents them from addressing a wider audience, regardless of whether or not there is any real artistic change, and arbitrarily hampers the artists' course of mainstream success. Such an accusation, then, assumes that mainstream success must be against the artists' original intentions. For example, when questioned about signing to a major label, Rage Against the Machine answered "We're not interested in preaching to just the converted. It's great to play abandoned squats run by anarchists, but it's also great to be able to reach people with a revolutionary message, people from Granada Hills to Stuttgart". Similarly, when confronted with the accusation of "selling out" in 2001, Mike Dirnt of Green Day said:
   This song has become a sort of running joke amongst the band members and fan base. In 2006, the best-of album "Greatest Hit...and More" was released by former label Jive and titled to refer to the fact that "Sell Out" was, at least on the charts, the band's only hit. The band, in particular frontman Aaron Barrett, have experienced frustration trying to one-up the song. In an interview, Barrett was asked if he felt that "Sell Out" was the band's biggest accomplishment and everything else was downhill. He responded that "Sometimes you feel like that, like your band is around for a long time and you wonder if you're going to get bigger. You wonder if radio will ever play you again, or if you're ever going to have a hit bigger than the novelty song you had in the 90s. You're thirty, make a living playing music, and can't do anything else. There is a lot to worry about."
   While this perceived inauthenticity is viewed with scorn and contempt by members of the subculture, the definition of the term and to whom it should be applied is subjective. While the term is most associated with the 1970s- and 1980s-era punk and hardcore subculture, English use of the term originates in the late 19th century. A hardcore punk band that signed a lucrative contract with a major label would probably be labelled as poseurs.
  
  Section::::In music and entertainment.:Film and television.
   By the 2010s the use of licensing of artists in commercials had become an accepted part of the music industry, and even those who would previously have been considered part of the 1970s resistance to "selling out" have been used in advertising products, such as former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon advertising Country Life butter and Iggy Pop endorsing car insurance. Consequently, it has been suggested that the acceptance of music in advertising is generational, as younger listeners are comfortable with the relationship to the point of indifference whilst those who have seen the industry evolve still reject it.
   An example of political "selling out" is a political party who has formed a coalition with another party it had historically opposed, such as the Liberal Democrats' leader Nick Clegg's coalition with the Conservative Party after the 2010 general election in the United Kingdom, during which he reneged on his pledge to oppose any increase in student tuition fees.
  
  Section::::In music and entertainment.
  
  Section::::In music and entertainment.:Music.
   When Springsteen's autumn Giants Stadium shows were announced in late May 2009, secondary market sellers began advertising steeply marked-up tickets before they went on sale. This caused Attorney General Milgram to file suit against three such sellers for fraudulent behavior, especially given that some of the advertised seat locations did not even exist. On June 1, Congressman Pascrell announced proposed federal legislation, titled the "BOSS ACT" (Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing), which would require primary ticket sellers to disclose how many tickets were being held back from sale, prohibit ticket brokers from buying tickets during the first 48 hours on sale, and prohibit primary ticket sellers, promoters, and artists from entering the secondary market.
   In 2004, Prince became the first major artist to bundled his album, "Musicology", with tour ticket purchases, giving copies of the album to each audience upon entrance to the venue. Those copies were counted as sales for the album on the "Billboard" 200 chart during its corresponding week of each concert. This strategy led "Billboard" and Nielsen SoundScan tighten up their policy on how tickets bundled with albums would count for charting purposes.
   Rather than selling products individually, a subscription offers periodic (monthly, yearly, or seasonal) use or access to a product or service, or, in the case of performance-oriented organizations such as opera companies, tickets to the entire run of some set number of (eg., five to fifteen) scheduled performances for an entire season. Thus, a one-time sale of a product can become a recurring sale and can build brand loyalty.
   The attitude held by those who disliked the idea of "selling out" towards advertising was negative; comedian Bill Hicks claimed that any band who licensed their music for advertising was "off the artistic roll call forever", and Neil Young mocked the fact that songs became associated with brands on his 1988 album "This Note's for You". However, although it was possible for fans to feel a sense of betrayal due to the relationship they developed with the song and artist, when artists did allow their music to be used for commercials others considered the advertised product to be more appealing. As CD sales fell and record companies became unwilling or unable to afford the push new bands needed to become established, sponsorship of bands by major companies began to be seen as more acceptable, with even minor record labels devoting time and money towards marketing deals with well-known brands.
   Selling Out (disambiguation)
  
  Selling Out may refer to:
  
  BULLET::::- "Selling out", the act of compromising one's perceived principles for economic gain
  
  BULLET::::- Music
  
  BULLET::::- "Sell Out", a song by Buffalo Springfield released on Neil Young's Archives box set
  
  BULLET::::- "Sell Out" (Halfcocked album), an album by Halfcocked
  
  BULLET::::- "Sell Out" (song), a 1997 song by Reel Big Fish
  
  BULLET::::- "Selling out", a song by Tom Lehrer
  
  BULLET::::- "The Who Sell Out", a 1967 album by The Who
  
  BULLET::::- Film and television
  
  BULLET::::- "Selling Out" (film), a 1972 documentary film
   Since the time of big band radio shows there has been an established relationship between musicians and commercialisation. There had been some signs of resistance to this model as early as the 1960s, when gospel group The Blind Boys of Alabama refused to sign record deals to record secular music. It was not until the punk subculture in the 1970s that the notion that musicians should be completely independent of commercial influences began to increase in popularity. This partly manifested itself in the reluctance of bands to sign for major labels, as this would include taking part in activities that were seen as crass and overly commercial. This continued into the 1980s, when bands were scorned by fanzines for signing with major labels as the mainstream success this would bring was symptomatic of the general decay in culture. However, after a number of bands maintained the quality of their records after signing for a major label, by the end of the 1980s the focus on "selling out" shifted to advertising.
   Similarly, a non-sponsor may use "distractive" techniques to divert consumers' attention away from the actual event and its official sponsors using similarly indirect means; for example, a non-sponsor may saturate the area at or around its venue (including street vendors, billboards, and public transport) with a competing marketing presence. Such "saturation marketing" may either be indirectly related to the event, or be incidental and make no references at all. In some cases, a company may sponsor or create a similar "parallel property," designed to compete directly with a major property by evoking similar thematics.
  
  Section::::Regulation.
   Dangerbird Records founder Jeff Castelaz argued that such clauses were a "reality" in the music business, since music festival promoters have to protect their investments in securing acts and promoting their event. On the other hand, while noting that festival appearances can be a significant milestone for an up-and-coming act rather than exclusively playing clubs, talent agency head Tom Windish felt that there was a mentality in the live events industry where "if you don't have 75,000 people at your event, it's a failure."
  
  Section::::Notable users.
  
  Section::::Notable users.:Coachella.
   By discouraging performances in limited public arenas, again using the restaurant example, critics say PROs eliminate the free publicity such performances provide for a work thereby depressing media sales. Incidentally, lower media sales conflict with PROs, but disputes between the two parties are not known to occur since each type of organisation represents the interests of the same parties - rights owners - and are forced to work in common interest.
   Industry insiders also noted that Livent did not include advertising costs when reporting the cost of a show, and that they included group sales when reporting ticket sales figures. Both practices were out of step with the norm among Broadway producers.
  
  Section::::Decline and fall.
  