Live Music Industry News

Taylor Swift Wraps Up Nashville Show Past 1:30 a.m., in Driving Rain, After Long Lightning Delay: ‘We All Look Like River Otters’
Many fans seemed even more enthusiastic after being held to the stadium's concourses for several hours, and after rain poured — on the crowd and Swift alike — for the last two-thirds of the epic late-night concert

Eventbrite (NYSE: EB) saw its stock jump by nearly 15% as trading opened Wednesday after the self-service event ticketing platform reported its Q1

The Eras Tour is a bona fide phenomenon, with huge crowds and rave reviews for Taylor Swift’s run of shows. Tickets have been so sought after, however, that the singer’s fans have been put through the wringer. From the badly botched presale in November (that led to a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee) to lawsuits filed by frustrated Swifties, to the slow drip-drip-drip of tickets being released into the market by event promoters, it has been a stressful time for many fans.

And that stress, according to multiple reports, is causing many consumers to be at serious risk of falling prey to scammers, who are using various channels to tempt fans with ticket prices that are, in fact, too good to be true.

Two major talent agencies, Artist Group International (AGI) and the Agency for the Performing Arts (APA), are reportedly in talks to merge, according to industry sources.

PROFECO, Mexico’s Office of the Federal Prosecutor for the Consumer, announced that a Mexico City judge admitted a class action lawsuit against Ticketmaster and concert promoter OCESA. Multiple breaches such as the unilateral cancellation of tickets or a refusal to refund the full amount paid by customers led to the collective action, according to a press release by PROFECO.

Over the last year, SoundCloud executives have spoken several times about how the platform’s ‘fan-powered royalties’ user-centric payouts was not an endgame in itself, but rather a building block to further opportunities for artists and their teams.

“When the economic model cuts these cohorts [of fans] into their own scenes, rooms, that’s when the model really flies. That data, let alone the royalties, becomes even more valuable,” SoundCloud’s VP strategy Michael Pelczynski told the NY:LON conference in January.

Concerts giant Live Nation has reported record results across all its divisions for Q1 2023.

For the first time in three years, all markets where the company operates were fully open, and according to Michael Rapino, Live Nation’s President and Chief Executive Officer, “from ticket sales, to attendance, and onsite spend – every sign points to incredible demand for live events”.

NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) -- Ground Control Touring announced the addition of Andrew Ellis to the team. Ellis will join GCT's New York office, bringing acts such as Manchester Orchestra, Men I Trust, New Found Glory, The

INDIANPOLIS (CelebrityAccess) -- Indianapolis-based concert promoter and venue operator Forty5 announced that Keith Richards has joined the company as a talent buyer. Richards joins Fort5 with more than a decade of relevant experience, including agent gigs

George Michael and the Spinners also prevailed in balloting; others selected for induction by a select committee include Chaka Khan, Bernie Taupin, Don Cornelius, Al Kooper, Link Wray and DJ Kool Herc

Ticketmaster has avoided a potential $122m penalty after being cleared of patent infringement in a US court.

Independent electronic music promoter Disco Donnie Presents announced that the Freaky Deaky festival will return this year but will take place at a new location for 2023. 

A broad coalition of music and live event industry organizations have joined forces as Fix The Tix to advocate for more equitable concert ticketing.

Looking at media coverage over the past year, one could conclude that Ticketmaster’s parent company, US-headquartered entertainment company Live Nation, is under siege.

It’s facing a US Department of Justice antitrust investigation (not its first), a number of legislators are pushing consumer-rights bills that would affect its business model, and – perhaps most importantly – many music fans have expressed anger at Ticketmaster for what they see as excessive ticket pricing.

Yet Live Nation’s executive leadership certainly doesn’t seem to be worried. In fact, they’re elated about the company’s latest earnings report, which showed revenue up a stunning 73% YoY in Q1 2023, to USD $3.1 billion worldwide across all divisions.

Vivid Seats (NASDAQ: SEAT) saw its share price jump Tuesday with a strong Q1 earnings report and raised guidance for its 2023 marketplace GOV, revenues,

Eventbrite posted its best figures since the beginning of the pandemic as revenue surged during the first quarter of 2023.

In a trading update for the three months to March 31, Eventbrite recorded revenue of $77.9m, which was up 39% on the $55.9m posted in Q1 2022 and a three-year high.

This is a guest post from Piers Henwood, a GRAMMY and JUNO-nominated artist manager and musician. Here, he writes about the implications of the pressure placed on artists to succeed in a needy industry and an always-on culture – and he also picks apart our own expectations, as fans. He also proposes a new way of thinking about the relationship between fan and artist: one that creates a new empathetic framework of business that leaves artists less prone to burnout and fans happy.

Long-time music executive Jimmy Wheeler has been hired by the Tennessee Entertainment Commission 

Chris Strachwitz, musicologist and the founder of Arhoolie Records, a renowned folk label, has passed away at the age of 91.

COLUMBIA, MD (CelebrityAccess) -- The Boston-based rock band Extreme announced they are dropping out of the M3 Rock Festival while guitarist Nuno Bettencourt recovers from basketball-related injuries. The band announced the lineup change on their social

Despite angry words from Taylor Swift, major issues with its Ticketmaster division, a Senate hearing and incoming legislation, Live Nation posted another record-breaking quarter in Q1 of 2023, with a record $3.1 billion in revenue — up 73% from the same period last year — and a record 19.5 million fans attending its events as the global touring business returns to full strength.

The company’s concerts division already has sold almost 90 million tickets for shows this year already, more than 20% ahead of last year, and posted adjusted operating income of $320 million, a 53% increase.

From May 10th-16th, over 3,800 shows are on-sale for just $25 all-in during National Concert Week. Find the full list of shows here.

Bamboozle Festival, which was slated to be held this weekend (May 5-7), has been cancelled just days out after the Atlantic City authorities declined to issue a final permit for the event. 

Many of the venues that nurtured us have now closed. We’re donating £1 per ticket of our upcoming arena tour to preserve the rest – and it should become standard practice