The live music world was rocked yesterday as word broke that the Department of Justice had filed a massive antitrust lawsuit targeting concert promotion giant Live Nation. According to inside sources, Attorney General Merrick Garland hopes to break up the company’s stranglehold on the industry once and for all.
In a the complaint, the DOJ alleges that through strategic acquisitions and strongarm tactics, Live Nation has systematically locked out competitors and rigged the game in its favor. The result? Fans face dwindling options and ever-increasing fees just to see their favorite acts live.
“Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry in the United States at the cost of fans, artists, smaller promoters, and venue operators” asserted US Attorney General Merrick Garland. He called on the courts to dismantle Live Nation’s sprawling empire and restore true competition to the space.
But Live Nation is hitting back hard, calling the allegations “absurd” and insisting its market share decline proves otherwise. In a response, the company accused the Biden administration of caving to “populist” pressure instead of respecting antitrust law.
Industry insiders say the blockbuster case could upend the live music biz as we know it. A breakup could see names like AEG finally break Live Nation’s iron grip on major venues and festivals. Fans dream of a world where they aren’t held hostage by Ticketmaster’s never-ending fees.
