Sydney's Big Day Out sold out in minutes. The Gold Coast wasn't far behind. So how are ticket sales for Auckland's biggest day of music going?

Although the number of tickets sold so far is top secret the sales are going very nicely thank you very much, say BDO organisers.

Tickets to the January 16 event at Mt Smart Stadium, which will be headlined by veteran Canadian rocker Neil Young, with the Arctic Monkeys, Ting Tings and the Prodigy, went on sale on Friday for $125 plus booking fee.

Promoter Campbell Smith says it's hard to say what impact the headlining act makes on ticket sales because at least 15 artists make up the first announcement.

"Some years sell markedly faster than others at the outset but it mostly follows a pattern of selling faster each year," he says.

Which bodes well for next year. The last Big Day Out, with Rage Against the Machine headlining sold out just before show week.