MPs have raised serious concerns about a 'climate of fear' in the live music industry, calling for a full investigation into potential market dominance. A report from the Business and Trade Committee urges the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to scrutinise the sector, with particular focus on ticketing giant Live Nation.
The committee's findings show Live Nation controlled 58 per cent of the 23.1 million primary tickets sold last year, rising to 66 per cent when affiliate sales are included. MPs were alarmed by the widespread reluctance of witnesses to provide evidence openly, with many requesting anonymity due to fears of repercussions.
Committee chair Liam Byrne said: '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. That alone raises profound questions about the health of competition.'
The report also highlights the failure to implement an industry levy on arena and stadium tickets to support grassroots music, attributed to Live Nation's non-compliance. Additionally, Live Nation's long-term agreements with restrictive exclusivity clauses reportedly tie venue access to festival participation, limiting opportunities for rivals.
The call follows a CMA investigation into Ticketmaster, a Live Nation subsidiary, over Oasis ticket sales in 2024, where fans were not informed about dynamic pricing. A government spokesperson said vendors must be transparent about prices, while a CMA spokesperson confirmed they are 'giving active and careful consideration to undertaking markets work'.
Live Nation UK rejected the report's claims, stating it 'misrepresents the industry by relying on inaccurate data and unsupported conclusions', and insisted it competes in a highly competitive market.
