Live music industry news

UK government should prioritise tackling post-Brexit touring issues at next EU summit, MPs tell ministers

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CMS Select Committee • 3 min read

UK government should prioritise tackling post-Brexit touring issues at next EU summit, MPs tell ministers

Parliament’s culture select committee has urged the UK government to put post-Brexit touring issues high on the agenda at its next EU Summit, which could be next month. It should also provide more support for artists and performers who are currently navigating all those issues, MPs add…

Chris Cooke • 16 Jun 2026

New ticketing regulations needed, Irish politicians say, following collapse of DEAG’s tickets.ie

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ticket.ie • 3 min read

New ticketing regulations needed, Irish politicians say, following collapse of DEAG’s tickets.ie

The collapse of Irish ticketing platform tickets.ie - and its impact on festivals that are owed hundreds of thousands of euro - was discussed in the Irish parliament this week, with politicians insisting new laws are needed to protect promoters and ticket buyers when ticketing companies go bust…

Chris Cooke • 12 Jun 2026

Independent venues urge US attorneys general to crack down on fake artist websites run by ticket touts

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National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) • 2 min read

Independent venues urge US attorneys general to crack down on fake artist websites run by ticket touts

US venue organisation NIVA has found thousands of misleading websites and URLS which are used by touts to trick consumers into thinking they are buying tickets from official sellers rather than unofficial resellers. NIVA wants state-level officials in the US to crackdown on these deceptive practices…

Chris Cooke • 09 Jun 2026

Directors of DEAG subsidiary tickets.ie will appoint liquidators

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Tickets.ie • 2 min read

Directors of DEAG subsidiary tickets.ie will appoint liquidators

Irish ticketing platform Tickets.ie is calling in the liquidators. DEAG became a majority shareholder in the company in 2022 after the ticket seller restructured to meet financial challenges caused by the COVID shutdown. It’s not clear how many promoters will be impacted by the company’s collapse…

Kaya Robertson • 04 Jun 2026

First Scottish edition of WOMAD cancelled due to low ticket sales

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WOMAD • 1 min read

First Scottish edition of WOMAD cancelled due to low ticket sales

The first ever Scottish edition of WOMAD was due to take place in Glasgow next month via a partnership with Celtic Connections and Glasgow Life. However, organisers have cancelled the event because ticket sales “did not reach the level required” to “deliver” the festival “in its inaugural year”…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jun 2026

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MIA • 3 min read

M.I.A. sues Kid Cudi after being axed from his tour - claims sacking was ‘publicity stunt’ prompted by poor ticket sales

M.I.A. was sacked as support act on Kid Cudi’s current tour last month, a move that has now prompted a lawsuit. At the time Kid Cudi said he was dropping M.I.A. because of “offensive remarks” she’d made on stage. But she now claims it was a publicity stunt to try to sell more tickets for the tour…

Chris Cooke • 01 Jun 2026

More Kanye cancellations: banned from performing in Italy, but Dutch shows to go ahead

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Kanye • 2 min read

More Kanye cancellations: banned from performing in Italy, but Dutch shows to go ahead

Kanye West’s European tour has had another date axed, after officials in Italy blocked his planned concert in the city of Reggio Emilia citing “public order” concerns. However, politicians in the Netherlands have resisted calls to block two shows taking place there this week…

Chris Cooke • 01 Jun 2026

BTS fans hate Live Nation over Aussie and Malaysian ticket pre-sales

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Live Nation • 3 min read

BTS fans hate Live Nation over Aussie and Malaysian ticket pre-sales

Tickets for BTS shows in Malaysia and Australia go on sale next week, prompting new scrutiny of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. In Malaysia that’s down to false rumours tickets are already being secretly sold, but in Australia criticism centres on Ticketmaster’s failure to communicate ticket prices…

Chris Cooke • 29 May 2026

UK competition regulator should urgently investigate live music sector, MPs say, citing “climate of fear” around Live Nation’s dominance

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Live Nation • 4 min read

UK competition regulator should urgently investigate live music sector, MPs say, citing “climate of fear” around Live Nation’s dominance

MPs are concerned that Live Nation’s dominance is harming competition in the UK live sector and have called on the Competition & Markets Authority to launch an investigation before the end of the year. It follows the recent jury ruling in the US which said Live Nation operates an unlawful monopoly…

Chris Cooke • 26 May 2026

Live Nation should be forced to sell Ticketmaster and a bunch of amphitheaters, say the states that pursued antitrust litigation

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Live Nation • 2 min read

Live Nation should be forced to sell Ticketmaster and a bunch of amphitheaters, say the states that pursued antitrust litigation

The US states that successfully pursued that big antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation have filed a wishlist of sanctions they now want the judge to impose. It includes forcing a sale of Ticketmaster and various amphitheater venues. Live Nation says the requests are “performative and political”…

Chris Cooke • 22 May 2026

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Bob Vylan • 3 min read

Shindig Festival will go ahead after Tory attempt to block headliner Bob Vylan under “public safety” concerns fails

Attempts by local Tories to stop this year’s Shindig Festival because Bob Vylan is headlining have failed, with Wiltshire Council concluding there are no tangible safety concerns. It reviewed the festival’s licence at the last minute following a request from South Cotswolds Conservative Association…

Chris Cooke • 20 May 2026

Shindig team say they are “standing our ground” after local Tories forced a licence review over their Bob Vylan booking

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Bob Vylan • 2 min read

Shindig team say they are “standing our ground” after local Tories forced a licence review over their Bob Vylan booking

Next week Wiltshire Council will review the Shindig Festival’s licence just days before the event gets underway after local Tories expressed concern about Bob Vylan headlining. In a new interview, the festival’s organisers say they are “facing censorship” but are “standing our ground”…

Chris Cooke • 15 May 2026

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