Many big name acts like Bon Jovi and Sir Paul McCartney have been forced to reduce the cost of entry into their shows to try to sell them out.

Meanwhile in the US, Christina Aguilera, The Eagles and Rihanna have actually scrapped shows due to low demand.

But Bruce Dickinson, frontman of the perennially popular Brit rockers Iron Maiden, has told Sky News promoters are to blame for turning the humble live show into a cynical money-making scheme.

"It's a massive commitment to come and see a band," he said when we caught up with the group on their US tour.

"They deserve not just a great show, but reasonable ticket prices. It's just not right, you know - it's a rock 'n' roll show, it's not a cash cow."

Maiden are seen as one of the groups who can afford to smile.

Their fans are dedicated, meaning their new album The Final Frontier is eagerly anticipated, and tickets for this weekend's Sonisphere Festival in Knebworth are selling well.

But overall in the States, ticket sales have dropped by 17%, which for an industry already struggling with piracy is a huge figure.

"These days it's all about ticket sales because records don't really sell," explains music journalist and presenter Liz Barnes.

"You get people out on the road a lot more often and for a lot longer because that's where they make their money.

"If audiences have dropped, that is definitely something for record companies and promoters to be concerned about."

Some say the problem is overkill and familiarity, and even for huge bands this can be an issue.

Kings of Leon have toured the same album three times over the last few years in the US. Last time out, the ticket sales were noticeably slower.

Maiden's manager Rod Smallwood said the rise in the pricey corporate rock ticket has driven the real fans into the ground.

"Some of the tours are massively overpriced, where you spend £100 or £250 on a ticket," he explained.

"Sooner or later you hit a brick wall and that's what's happening this summer.

"I think they'll be a re-evaluation of ticket prices, a big re-evaluation of frequency of touring, to get everybody back to an even keel."