Maestros of the concert merchandise movement

Driving it are Bravado of Universal Music and Thread Shop of Sony Music

One Friday morning in early May, eight high-end boutiques in the United States and Canada were flooded with desperate fans jostling to claim their piece of the Weeknd, snapping up bombers, hats, shirts and sweatpants celebrating his album Starboy. Two weeks later, at exactly 5 pm, at more than 200 stores, Urban Outfitters released merchandise decorated with Lady Gaga’s face and the title of her album Joanne to barely controlled consumer delight.

Welcome to the world of elevated concert merch — special collections linked to specific cultural events, limited in availability, and one of the newest and fastest-growing sub-sectors in the