Roxette Cancels North American Tour, Citing Increased Touring Costs Amid Industry Concerns

The Swedish pop-rock duo Roxette has canceled its entire North American tour, including a scheduled October 5 stop in Los Angeles, citing "hugely increased touring costs" and logistical issues. Live Nation US announced the cancellation on Friday, with ticketholders notified of refunds.

The tour, intended to celebrate the band's 40th anniversary, was slated to begin September 10 in Michigan and conclude October 9 in Washington state. The shows were also set to feature 1980s artists Taylor Dayne and Nick Lowe.

In a social media post, Roxette's co-frontman Per Gessle expressed disappointment, stating that the decision was made by Live Nation USA based on internal calculations. "We were really looking forward to this northamerican tour and US is by far our biggest streaming market," Gessle wrote. He expressed hope for future performances in the United States and Canada.

The cancellation comes amid a growing phenomenon on social media dubbed “blue dot fever,” referring to the visible blue dots on online ticketing charts indicating unsold seats. While Roxette's announcement cited logistical and cost issues, the trend has led to speculation about poor ticket sales being a factor in other tour cancellations.

Other artists have recently canceled tour dates, with varied reasons cited. Post Malone postponed the initial weeks of his “Big Ass Stadium” tour, stating a need to finish recording a new album, though industry sources suggested soft ticket sales. Meghan Trainor canceled her “Get in Girl” tour, with the artist citing a desire for better work-life balance after the birth of her third child, though some reports suggested ticket sales may have also been a contributing factor.

Zayn Malik also halted his tour, citing health struggles, though Variety reported soft ticket sales for his shows.

Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino has publicly pushed back against the “blue dot fever” narrative. He has argued that the company sells millions of tickets at affordable price points and suggested that the focus on unsold seats is a “scalper narrative.” Rapino has shared posts from music industry analysts who contend that the concept of widespread tour cancellations due to poor sales is overblown.