Live music industry news

Live Nation monopoly is “anticompetitive” and must be broken up says DoJ lawsuit

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Live Nation • 4 min read

Live Nation monopoly is “anticompetitive” and must be broken up says DoJ lawsuit

The US Department Of Justice has sued Live Nation over allegations of anticompetitive conduct. It follows the government department’s most recent investigation into the live giant’s dominance in tours, venues and ticketing. The lawsuit asks the court to force Live Nation to sell Ticketmaster…

Chris Cooke • 23 May 2024

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The Leadmill • 3 min read

Leadmill eviction battle in court

The Electric Group was in court yesterday seeking to enforce its eviction order against the current management team at Sheffield’s The Leadmill. It owns the building and wants to directly run the venue. The current team raised logistical and human rights objections to the forced change in management…

Chris Cooke • 21 May 2024

Live industry welcomes ticket tout prison sentences

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Ticket Touting • 3 min read

Live industry welcomes ticket tout prison sentences

The live music industry has welcomed the prison sentences handed to four people found guilty of operating a fraudulent ticket resale business. Stuart Camp - who manages Ed Sheeran - said he hoped it would set “an important precedent in the live music industry”…

Andy Malt • 20 May 2024

Viagogo will ditch FOMO panic pop-ups after EU pressure

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Viagogo • 2 min read

Viagogo will ditch FOMO panic pop-ups after EU pressure

Viagogo has agreed to make changes to its website across Europe to deal with some common customer complaints. The changes are the result of talks between the ticket resale site and the European Commission…

Chris Cooke • 17 May 2024

TICKET Act passed by US House Of Representatives

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TICKET Act • 2 min read

TICKET Act passed by US House Of Representatives

The TICKET Act - which mandates all-in pricing and bans speculating selling in the US ticketing market - has been passed by the House Of Representatives. It’s “an important step towards restoring trust in the ticketing ecosystem” says Fix The Tix Coalition…

Chris Cooke • 16 May 2024

MPs set September deadline for ticket levy to support grassroots venues and shows

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Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee • 7 min read

MPs set September deadline for ticket levy to support grassroots venues and shows

The culture select committee in the UK Parliament has published its report on grassroots music venues. It says a system for charging a levy on arena shows to support the grassroots community should be in place by September, and that the government should instigate a temporary VAT cut on tickets…

Chris Cooke • 13 May 2024

Music Venue Properties announces purchase of The Ferret in Preston

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Music Venue Properties • 2 min read

Music Venue Properties announces purchase of The Ferret in Preston

A second venue has been acquired by Music Venue Properties, the charitable community benefit society set up as part of Music Venue Trust’s Own Our Venues initiative. It means The Ferret in Preston will now have a landlord that exists to support local grassroots music communities…

Chris Cooke • 10 May 2024

SXSW London could disrupt delicately balanced music ecosystem and should reconsider its date

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SXSW • 9 min read

SXSW London could disrupt delicately balanced music ecosystem and should reconsider its date

SXSW is coming to London backed by a shadowy web of offshore companies, endorsed by the Mayor of London - and with a PR boss who conveniently worked as a senior press advisor in the London mayor’s office for sixteen years…

Sam Taylor • 09 May 2024

Minnesota passes new laws regulating secondary ticketing

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Secondary Ticketing • 2 min read

Minnesota passes new laws regulating secondary ticketing

While there has been lots of talk about new ticketing regulations in US Congress, more progress is being made at a state level. Minnesota has passed new laws regulating secondary ticketing this week, with Maryland also set to introduce new resale rules…

Chris Cooke • 09 May 2024

OfCom should use Online Safety Act powers to force Facebook to act on ticket scams, says Which?

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Facebook • 2 min read

OfCom should use Online Safety Act powers to force Facebook to act on ticket scams, says Which?

Which? says that OfCom should take action against social media platforms that fail to deal with ticketing scam posts as it implements the new UK Online Safety Act. The consumer rights group was responding to a BBC report about the sale of fake Taylor Swift tickets via hacked Facebook accounts…

Chris Cooke • 08 May 2024

Viagogo ruling in New Zealand demonstrates the need for tighter touting regulation, say campaigners

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Viagogo • 3 min read

Viagogo ruling in New Zealand demonstrates the need for tighter touting regulation, say campaigners

Last week it was confirmed that the high court in New Zealand has ruled against Viagogo following an eight year investigation by the country’s Commerce Commission. Anti-touting campaigners in Europe have welcomed the ruling, but say it demonstrates why better regulation of ticket resale is required…

Chris Cooke • 08 May 2024

Goldman Sachs analysts upbeat about music industry after a “turning point” year

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Goldman Sachs • 4 min read

Goldman Sachs analysts upbeat about music industry after a “turning point” year

Goldman Sachs has published its annual ‘Music In The Air’ report, reviewing the wider music sector and making predictions through to 2030. Streaming price rises, AI and superfan opportunities, and a resurgent live sector mean analysts have increased their predicted annual growth rate to 7.6%…

Chris Cooke • 07 May 2024

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