Every Type of Concert Presale Explained: Spotify, O2, Artist & More

There are at least six different types of presale that can run before a concert goes on general sale, and they all work differently. Some need codes, some need accounts, some need a specific mobile network. If you've ever missed out on tickets because you didn't even know a presale was happening, this is the guide that'll fix that.

TL;DR

• Artist presales are the most common type and usually come via email to fans on the mailing list. The codes are almost always generic.
• O2 Priority presales are free to access with any O2 SIM, including Pay As You Go. One of the most consistent presale sources in the UK.
• Spotify presales are based on your listening data. You can't buy your way in. Either you stream the artist enough or you don't.
• Venue, promoter, and Ticketmaster presales are less predictable but worth knowing about. Each one pulls from the same ticket pool.
• Track all presale types and dates in one place with Evnt Central. It's free.

What is an artist presale?

An artist presale is early access to tickets offered directly by the artist's team, usually to fans who've signed up to their mailing list or registered on their website. It's the most common type of presale in the UK and typically runs 24 to 72 hours before general sale.

The way it works is straightforward. You sign up, you get an email with a code, and you use that code on the ticketing platform (usually Ticketmaster) during the presale window. Most artist presale codes are generic, meaning the same code works for everyone who receives it. There's no unique code tied to your account.

Because they're generic, these codes spread fast. Within minutes of going out, they'll be on Twitter/X, Reddit, and fan forums. So even if you're not on the mailing list, you can usually find the code. But you still need to know when the presale opens, which is where most people slip up.

How does the O2 Priority presale work?

O2 Priority gives O2 mobile customers free early access to concert tickets through the O2 Priority app. It's one of the most reliable presale sources in the UK because it covers a huge number of tours and events, and it runs consistently.

O2 Priority presales usually go live on a Wednesday, with general sale following on Friday. You open the app, find the event, and either get a code to enter on the ticketing site or a direct link that bypasses the code step entirely.

The thing most people don't realise is that you don't need a paid O2 contract. A free Pay As You Go SIM is enough. Plenty of people keep a spare O2 SIM (or eSIM) active purely for Priority access. O2 doesn't check your spend. As long as the number is active and linked to your account, you're in.

One limitation: O2 Priority presales often cap tickets at 2 per transaction, which is lower than general sale. Worth planning around if you're buying for a group.

What is a Spotify presale?

A Spotify presale is early ticket access offered to fans based on their listening history on Spotify. These are run in partnership with Ticketmaster and are becoming more common for mid-to-large UK tours.

You can't sign up for a Spotify presale. There's no code to hunt for. Instead, Ticketmaster's system identifies fans who've streamed the artist frequently, and those fans get an email or notification inviting them to the presale. If you qualify, you'll typically receive the invite a day or two before the presale window opens.

The threshold for qualifying isn't public. Spotify and Ticketmaster don't share exactly how much you need to stream an artist, and it likely varies by tour. What's clear is that casual listeners don't get in. If you've had an artist on heavy rotation for weeks, your chances are good.

There's no way to game this after the fact. If you only start streaming an artist the day a tour is announced, it's almost certainly too late. The best approach is just to use Spotify as your main listening platform and hope for the best.

How does the Three+ presale work?

Three+ is Three mobile's rewards app, and it now includes concert presale access for Three customers. It works similarly to O2 Priority. You open the app, find the event, and follow the link or code through to the ticketing platform.

Three's presale offering has grown a lot over the past couple of years. It doesn't cover quite as many events as O2 Priority yet, but it's catching up. If you're on Three, it's worth checking the app whenever a tour is announced because the presales aren't always well advertised.

Like O2, Three+ presales tend to have a lower ticket limit per transaction than general sale. Check the terms in the app before you queue.

What is a venue presale?

A venue presale is early access offered by the venue hosting the concert. Major UK venues like the O2 Arena, AO Arena, OVO Hydro, and Utilita Arena all run their own presales for shows at their venue.

To access these, you typically need to be on the venue's mailing list or be a member of their loyalty scheme. Some venues offer free membership, others charge a fee. The O2 Arena's membership, for example, gives you access to presales for shows at the O2 specifically.

Venue presales can be a good option when the bigger presales (artist, O2 Priority) have sold through their allocation. They're pulling from the same ticket pool, but they often have a smaller, less competitive audience.

What is a promoter presale?

A promoter presale is run by the company promoting the tour, not the artist or the venue. In the UK, major promoters like Live Nation, AEG, and SJM occasionally run their own presales for tours they're promoting.

These are less predictable than other types. Sometimes you'll see them listed on the event page on Ticketmaster, sometimes they're announced through the promoter's social channels or mailing list. The codes are usually generic.

Promoter presales are worth watching but not worth building a strategy around. They pop up inconsistently and don't cover every tour. Think of them as a bonus window if you spot one.

What is a Ticketmaster presale?

Ticketmaster sometimes runs its own presales, separate from artist or venue presales. These are usually available to fans who are signed up to Ticketmaster's mailing list or who follow a specific artist on the Ticketmaster platform.

In recent years, Ticketmaster has also been rolling out Verified Fan presales for high-demand tours. With Verified Fan, you register interest in advance, Ticketmaster verifies you're a real person and not a bot, and you receive a unique code tied to your account. Unlike generic codes, Verified Fan codes can't be shared.

Verified Fan isn't the default yet for most UK shows, but it's becoming more common for stadium-level tours. When it's used, you'll usually need to register a few days before the presale opens. Evnt Central tracks Verified Fan registration deadlines alongside regular presale dates, so you won't miss the sign-up window.

Do all presales pull from the same ticket pool?

Yes. There isn't a separate stash of premium tickets set aside for each presale type. All presale allocations come from the same pool of tickets for the show. What changes is how many tickets are allocated to each presale window and when that window opens.

A typical tour might allocate 20% to the artist presale, 15% to O2 Priority, 10% to venue and other presales, and the rest to general sale. Those numbers vary, but the point is that earlier presales get first pick from the best available seats. By the time general sale opens, the floor sections and lower tiers are often gone.

This is exactly why it matters which presales you have access to and when they open. The earlier you can get into a queue, the better your selection will be.

Which presale is hardest to get into?

Verified Fan presales are the most restrictive because access is individually vetted and codes are non-transferable. You either get selected or you don't, and there's no workaround.

Spotify presales are similarly out of your direct control. You can't buy your way in or find a code on social media. Either your listening data qualifies you or it doesn't.

Artist presales are the easiest to access because codes are generic and widely shared. O2 Priority is almost as easy if you're willing to pick up a free SIM.

How do I keep track of all these presales?

This is the real challenge. A single concert can have five or six different presale windows across different platforms, all opening at different times on different days. Miss the window and the code is useless.

Evnt Central tracks every presale type, date, time, and code for UK concerts in one place. You can set alerts for artists you care about and get notified when any presale is announced, whether it's O2 Priority, artist, Spotify, or anything else. It's free to use and takes less than a minute to set up.

The fans who consistently get tickets aren't luckier than you. They're just better informed. Sort your alerts out now and you'll be first in the queue next time.