Can Australian Music Survive in the Age of Spotify?
Why the Live Nation–Ticketmaster Antitrust Trial Matters for Australia’s Independent Live Music Sector
The antitrust proceedings launched this week in the United States against Live Nation and Ticketmaster underscore a long‑standing issue the Australian Live Music Business Council has repeatedly raised: the dangers of extreme vertical integration in the live entertainment industry—and the disproportionate harm it inflicts on small, independent operators.
As the trial opened in Manhattan, U.S. federal prosecutors—supported by attorneys‑general from 39 states—outlined how Live Nation Entertainment’s combined power in concert promotion, venue ownership, and ticketing has allegedly been used to suppress competition and entrench Ticketmaster’s dominance.
For the ALMBC, whose members are primarily sole traders and small businesses with limited bargaining power, this case is a stark reminder of what happens when a single global entity controls multiple layers of the live music supply chain.
According to filings referenced by Rolling Stone, the U.S. lawsuit, first brought in 2024, centres on claims that Live Nation leveraged its control of major tours and venues to lock in long‑term exclusive ticketing agreements with Ticketmaster. Prosecutors argue that this model restricts venues’ choices, reduces opportunities for competing ticketing platforms, and weakens pressures to maintain reasonable fees and service standards. These are the very market distortions smaller Australian operators fear when large global companies consolidate power.
Government lawyers in the U.S. have framed their case as an effort to restore balance to a concentrated marketplace. They are seeking structural remedies that could even include separating Ticketmaster from Live Nation’s promotion and venue operations—an outcome the ALMBC believes would set an important international precedent. As U.S. attorney David Dahlquist put it: “Today, the concert ticket industry is broken… It is controlled by a monopolist.”
Live Nation has rejected the allegations, arguing that the market is more competitive than ever and that winning customers remains a “hard‑fought battle.” Yet, two core claims remain at the heart of the trial: that Live Nation links access to its major venues with its own promotion services, and that it pressures venues into long-term exclusive arrangements with Ticketmaster by threatening to withhold high-profile tours.
The trial will continue for several weeks and feature testimony from major industry players, including artists and venue operators. Whatever the final ruling, the implications will be felt globally—including here in Australia. As the world’s largest live entertainment company faces the possibility of structural change, the ALMBC urges policymakers and industry stakeholders to recognise the risks of unchecked consolidation. Australia’s vibrant but fragile live music ecosystem depends on fair competition, transparency, and equitable access—values that must be safeguarded if small businesses and independent promoters are to survive.
