UK MPs have renewed their call for the Competition and Markets Authority to open a full market investigation into the live music industry before the end of 2026
The House of Commons Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee made the call on 18 October, citing Live Nation’s dominance across promotion, music venues, festivals and ticketing.
The committee’s May report found Live Nation directly controlled 58 per cent of the 23.1 million primary tickets for large UK concerts in 2025, rising to 66 per cent when affiliated companies are included. It also raised concerns about exclusivity deals and the use of customer data from Ticketmaster, and found that a voluntary levy meant to support grassroots music had limited uptake.
The CMA has not announced an investigation and says its board will consider formal markets work this autumn. Live Nation rejects the committee’s conclusions, arguing the report relies on inaccurate data and that it competes in a highly competitive market. A minister said the government will not pre-empt or direct the CMA’s statutory powers.
In the United States, a federal jury found in April that Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally monopolised primary ticketing at major venues. The companies are seeking to overturn the verdict, and a coalition of states is seeking Ticketmaster’s divestiture.
In Australia and New Zealand Live Nation continues to claim higher stakes in the live music industry. The ALMBC supports competition, transparency and equity, with a focus on backing Australian owned independent small businesses.
