Concerns Over Market Dominance in the Live Music Industry
Members of parliament (MPs) have expressed deep concern over a “climate of fear” within the live music industry, calling for a thorough investigation into potential market dominance. A recent report from the Business and Trade Committee has specifically urged the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to examine the sector, with particular attention given to ticketing giant Live Nation.
The committee’s findings reveal that Live Nation controlled a significant 58 per cent of the 23.1 million primary tickets sold last year. When considering sales managed by its affiliate companies, this figure rises to 66 per cent, highlighting the company’s substantial market presence.
One of the most alarming aspects identified by MPs was the reluctance of individuals to provide evidence openly. Many contributors to the report insisted on anonymity, fearing repercussions for speaking out. This reluctance raises serious concerns about the health of competition in the market.
Committee chair Liam Byrne stated: “What particularly alarmed the committee was not just the scale of Live Nation’s market position across promotion, venues and ticketing, but the climate of fear we encountered during this inquiry. A striking number of submissions requested anonymity because people were worried about the consequences of speaking openly. That alone raises profound questions about the health of competition in the market.”
Industry-Led Levy and Restrictive Agreements
Further concerns raised in the report include the lack of implementation of an industry-led levy on arena and stadium tickets, which was intended to support the grassroots music sector. This failure has been widely attributed to Live Nation’s non-compliance.
The report also details Live Nation’s use of long-term agreements featuring restrictive exclusivity clauses. These clauses reportedly make access to its venues conditional on participation in its festivals, or vice versa. This practice is said to encourage artists to consolidate their touring plans with the company, thereby limiting opportunities for rival promoters and events.
Recent CMA Investigation and Calls for Action
This report follows a recent CMA investigation into Ticketmaster, a subsidiary of Live Nation, regarding its sale of Oasis tickets in 2024. The probe found that Ticketmaster failed to inform fans in queues that standing tickets were being sold at two different prices, and that prices would increase once cheaper options were exhausted.
Liam Byrne, the MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North, emphasized the UK’s live music scene as “one of our great national success stories.” However, he stressed that the inquiry’s evidence raised questions about “whether competition in the industry is now working fairly for fans, artists, venues and independent promoters.”
He concluded: “The CMA should now launch a full market investigation, before the end of this year, so there can be proper scrutiny of whether consumers, artists and independent businesses are getting a fair deal.”
Responses from Government and Live Nation
In response, a Government spokesperson affirmed: “Everyone deserves a fair chance to see their favourite artists live, which is why vendors are required by law to be transparent about their ticket prices. We have also strengthened the CMA’s powers to ensure it can investigate and take action against businesses that breach competition and consumer law.”
A CMA spokesperson added that they are “giving active and careful consideration to undertaking markets work in this area.”
However, a Live Nation UK spokesperson countered the claims, asserting: “This report misrepresents the UK live music industry by relying on inaccurate data and unsupported conclusions. Live Nation competes every day for tours, venues and artists in a highly competitive market. We will engage constructively with any process that benefits artists, fans and the wider industry, but debate about the sector must be based on evidence, not allegation and hearsay.”
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