Universal Loathing of Live Nation Might Help Save the DOJ’s Antitrust Lawsuit Under Trump
In an era when seemingly every issue is hyper-partisan, opposition to the concert-industry behemoth is one thing we can all agree on.
Given the current political climate, and the pettiness of the incoming president, you’d figure the Trump administration is planning to reverse, as quickly as it can, any and every remotely good thing that happened under Joe Biden’s presidency. In a lot of cases, it’s clear that’s exactly what’s going to happen. But there is one Biden-era development in progress, particularly relevant to music fans, that might be spared: the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation-Ticketmaster, aimed at breaking up that conglomerate and restoring healthy competition to a live entertainment sector that has languished for years under monopolistic control.
Of course, nothing is certain. But in the weeks since the election, a feeling of quiet and cautious optimism—on this particular issue, at least—has circulated among some venue owners, and in the constellation of non-profit associations that advocate for the independent side of the live music industry.
