Live Nation (events promoter)

Live Nation is an American events promoter and venue operator based in Beverly Hills, California. Founded in 1996 by Robert F. X. Sillerman as SFX Entertainment, the company's business was built around consolidating concert promoters into a national entity to counter the oversized influence of ticket behemoth Ticketmaster. In 2000, the company was sold to Clear Channel Communications for US$4.4 billion and operated as Clear Channel Entertainment until 2005, when it was spun off as Live Nation. In 2010, Live Nation merged with the ticketing firm Ticketmaster to form a larger conglomerate named Live Nation Entertainment, with both brand names continuing to operate as subsidiaries of Live Nation Entertainment.

History Early years The company was originally established in 1996 as SFX Entertainment, a subsidiary of media executive Robert F. X. Sillerman's SFX Broadcasting. During the late 1990s, SFX acquired a number of concert promoters, including Sunshine Promotions, The Entertainment Group, and Avalon Entertainment Partners. In 2000, Sillerman sold SFX to Clear Channel Communications for $4.4 billion. In 2005, Clear Channel spun off its entertainment division and named the new company Live Nation. Michael Rapino was appointed as the company's CEO.

2006 to 2009 After spinning off from Clear Channel, Live Nation acquired companies in the music industry while selling off other lines of business. The company acquired the House of Blues chain in 2006. Live Nation also made several international acquisitions between 2006 and 2009, including Gamerco, a concert promoter based in Spain. In January 2008, Live Nation sold its North American theatrical business (including the Broadway Across America business) to Key Brand Entertainment for $90.4 million. Also in September 2008, Feld Entertainment acquired its motorsports division.

Merger with Ticketmaster In February 2009, Live Nation announced that it had reached an agreement to merge with the ticket broker Ticketmaster in a $2.5 billion, all-stock deal.

The proposal initially received regulatory approval in Norway and Turkey. In October 2009, the United Kingdom's Competition Commission provisionally ruled against the merger with Ticketmaster. The Competition Commission later cleared the merger on December 22, 2009.

The United States Department of Justice approved the merger in 2010. A condition of the approval, Ticketmaster agreed to license its software to rival Anschutz Entertainment Group, and to sell its subsidiary Paciolan to Comcast Spectacor, Comcast's sporting events subsidiary. The company also agreed not to interfere with competition for the ten-year life of the agreement.

In response to the merger, music artist Bruce Springsteen wrote in a post on his website, "the one thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system, thereby returning us to a near monopoly situation in music ticketing." Additionally, Ticketdisaster.org, a coalition of consumer rights and anti-trust groups, released a statement opposing the merger.

2011 to present Live Nation made acquisitions following the merger with Ticketmaster. In 2011, it acquired the remaining 25% of Front Line Management Group Inc., an artist management firm that was majority owned by Ticketmaster. Also in 2011, Live Nation acquired online measurement company Big Champagne. In June 2013, Insomniac Events, a promoter focused on electronic dance music, announced a major "creative partnership" with Live Nation, giving the promoter access to Live Nation's resources while remaining an independent company. Live Nation did not take any ownership stake in Insomniac.

In December 2015, Live Nation launched Live Nation Productions, a film and television division. In 2018, Live Nation Productions produced A Star Is Born, which starred Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

Live Nation has acquired a stake in a number of festivals and festival management companies, including Voodoo Music & Arts Experience and Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. In 2016, Live Nation partnered with Jägermeister to sponsor six electronic dance music festivals. The company has also sponsored Music Midtown, a music festival based in Atlanta. In 2017, Live Nation acquired BottleRock Napa Valley music festival.

In late 2019, Live Nation announced "Lawn Pass", a one-time fee program for concertgoers to attend all 2020 events in the lawn section at 29 outdoor amphitheaters in the United States.

The company has agreed to match a $500,000 donation by singer Lizzo to Planned Parenthood in response to the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

Controversies According to a Houston Chronicle investigative report, Live Nation had been linked to at least 750 injuries and around 200 deaths at its events in seven countries since 2006. The company has been under scrutiny by federal regulators for work safety and antitrust violations.

In May 2024, the company confirmed rumours of a massive (1.3 TB) data leak, at subsidiary Ticketmaster, The leak was attributed to the malicious efforts of ShinyHunters, a hacker group who allegedly targeted the company's Snowflake (cloud-based) infrastructure. The incident led to a class action lawsuit.

Artists and venues Live Nation has an artist management division called Artist Nation. In October 2007, Live Nation reached a 10-year deal with Madonna, under which the company would collaborate on several facets of her career, including touring and merchandising.

In March 2008, it was confirmed that Live Nation signed a 12-year deal with U2 worth an estimated $100 million (£70 million). The parties agreed that the band would receive $25 million for 1.6 million shares of the company; as of 17 December 2008, those shares were worth only just over $6 million. It was reported on 18 December 2008 that Live Nation, honoring their financial commitment, bought back the shares at a loss of $19 million.

In July 2008, Shakira signed an estimated $70–100 million contract with Live Nation. The same year, Live Nation signed a 3-tour deal with Canadian rock band, Nickelback. Also in 2008, a deal between Jay-Z and Live Nation for $152 million was confirmed. The deal covered financing of Jay-Z's own entertainment venture, live shows, tours and future recordings.Jay-Z to sign deal with Live Nation Rosie Swash, The Guardian, April 3, 2008. Accessed July 2008 Jay-Z signed a second 10-year deal with Live Nation in 2017.

Live Nation owns several venues and venue chains, including the House of Blues chain of clubs. The company also owns amphitheaters and operates several venues that it does not own.

Live Nation Productions

In 2016, Live Nation started Live Nation Productions, a film and TV production company that makes music-driven documentaries and narrative films.

Narrative Films

Year Title Director Writer(s) Distributor2018The After Party Ian EdelmanNetflixA Star Is Born Bradley Cooper Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, and Will Fetters (adaptation)Warner Bros. Pictures2025Hurry Up TomorrowTrey Edward ShultsTrey Edward Shults, Abel Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim Lionsgate Films2026K-Pops! Anderson .PaakAura EntertainmentRolling Loud Jeremy GarelickKetchup EntertainmentTBDNew Years Rev Lee KirkTBDGirl Group Rebel WilsonThe Big KillTodd BergerDaniel Radosh

Documentaries/Concert Films

Year Title Subject Director(s) Distributor2016Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee KidsJustin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids Jonathan DemmeNetflix2017Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends)Eagles of Death MetalColin Hanks HBOGaga: Five Foot TwoLady GagaChris Moukarbel Netflix Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy StoryBad Boy Records/The Notorious B.I.G.Daniel KaufmanApple Music2018BelieverDan Reynolds/LGBT people/LDS Church Don Argott HBO2019Between Me And Me MindTrey Anastasio Steven Cantor Released independently2020All I Can SayShannon Hoon Shannon Hoon, Danny Clinch, Taryn Gould, and Colleen HennessyOscilloscope Laboratories2021Truth to PowerSerj Tankian Garin HovannisianTriumph: Rock & Roll MachineTriumph Sam Dunn and Marc Ricciardelli WaZabi Films2022Moonage DaydreamDavid Bowie Brett MorgenNeon Love, LizzoLizzo Doug Pray HBO Max2024 Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in MindJerry Lee Lewis Ethan CoenAmazon Prime Video The French Montana Story: For KhadijaFrench MontanaMandon LovettParamount+2025Miley Cyrus: Something BeautifulMiley CyrusMiley Cyrus, Jacob Bixenman, and Brendan WalterTrafalgar Releasing and Sony Music VisionRebbecaBecky G Gabriela Cavanagh and Jennifer Tiexiera Trafalgar ReleasingTBD Billy Idol Should Be DeadBilly Idol Jonas Åkerlund FremantleStill Free TCTy Dolla Sign/Gabriel "TC" GriffinUnknownTBDUntitled Noah Kahan DocumentaryNoah KahanNick Sweeney

TV Shows

Year(s) Title Creator Distributor2020-2023Growing Belushi Jim Belushi and James OrrDiscovery Channel2021From Cradle to Stage Dave GrohlParamount+2024 Hip Hop World N/AAmazon Prime Video

International Between 2011 and 2013, Live Nation acquired companies in Dubai, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.

Venues and artist promotion Live Nation owns and manages several international venues, including the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, England, and 3Arena in Ireland. It also owns Ticketmaster and MCD Productions in Ireland. In March 2007 Live Nation/Gaiety bought a majority share in 10 music venues from the Academy Music Group, which owns venues including the Brixton Academy, Shepherds Bush Empire, and others.

In 2017, Live Nation acquired a majority stake in Israeli promoter Bluestone Entertainment.

In Ireland, Live Nation entered into a 50/50 joint venture with Gaiety Investments in 2018, called LN-Gaiety. Gaiety owned MCD Productions. LN-Gaiety has made a number of acquisitions, including the Academy Group and MAMA & Co. in 2015.

The company owns several international artist and venue management firms, including former Welldone Agency & Promotions in Finland (Live Nation Finland), EMA Telstar Group in Sweden (Live Nation Sweden), Gunnar Eide Concerts in Norway (Live Nation Norway), Mojo Concerts in the Netherlands, and Swedish EDM promoter Stureplansgruppen Live.

In Australia, Live Nation Australia owns the operating rights for several live music venues, including the Palais Theatre in Melbourne, the Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, Hindley Street Music Hall in Adelaide, and Anita's Theatre in the regional NSW town of Thirroul.

In January 2024 it was reported that Live Nation Ireland had lost €6 million in 2022.

Festivals The company acquired several international festivals and festival management firms in 2016, including the Sweden Rock Festival; Australia's Secret Sounds Group; and Union Events, an Alberta-owned festival and concert promotion company.

Live Nation owns a majority stake in Festival Republic, a UK concert promoter, that organises festivals such as the Reading and Leeds Festivals, Isle of Wight Festival, and Latitude.

Other festivals owned by Live Nation include the Download Festival at Donington Park in Leicestershire, England; Rhythm & Vines in New Zealand; Wireless Festival in London, England; and Blockfest in Tampere, Finland.

Live Nation (events promoter)

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