History of Live Nation Entertainment in Timeline

Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is a multinational entertainment company formed in 2010 through the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. It is involved in promoting, operating, and managing ticket sales for live entertainment events on a global scale. The company owns and operates various entertainment venues and also manages the careers of music artists, creating a broad scope within the live music and entertainment industry.

2006: Live Nation Linked to Deaths and Injuries at Events

Since 2006, Live Nation has been linked to at least 200 deaths and 750 injuries at its events across seven countries.

December 22, 2009: UK Competition Commission Approves Live Nation-Ticketmaster Merger

On December 22, 2009, the United Kingdom's Competition Commission reversed its initial ruling and approved the merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster.

2009: Live Nation and Ticketmaster Agreement to Merge

In 2009, Live Nation and Ticketmaster reached an agreement to merge. The merged company, named Live Nation Entertainment, appointed Michael Rapino as CEO and Irving Azoff as executive chairman, after receiving regulatory approval.

January 25, 2010: US Justice Department Approves Live Nation-Ticketmaster Merger with Conditions

On January 25, 2010, the U.S. Justice Department approved the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster with specific conditions. Ticketmaster was required to sell its self-ticketing company, Paciolan, and license its software to Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) to promote competition. Live Nation Entertainment was also placed under a 10-year court order to prevent retaliation against venues using competing ticket contracts.

2010: Live Nation Entertainment Founded

In 2010, Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. was founded after the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The company focuses on promoting live entertainment, managing ticket sales, owning venues, and managing music artists' careers internationally.

2011: Mathew Knowles Sues Live Nation

In 2011, Destiny's Child manager Mathew Knowles unsuccessfully sued Live Nation, alleging the company spread false information about his business dealings with Beyoncé.

2012: Live Nation Partners with Creativeman Productions

In 2012, Live Nation announced a partnership with Creativeman Productions, based in Tokyo, Japan.

2012: Radiohead Concert Stage Collapse

In 2012, a stage collapse at a Radiohead concert resulted in the death of a crew member.

June 2013: Live Nation Charged with Health and Safety Violations

In June 2013, Live Nation was charged with violating Ontario health and safety laws following the 2012 stage collapse at a Radiohead concert, where one crew member died.

2013: Live Nation Acquires Voodoo Music + Arts Experience

In 2013, Live Nation acquired the New Orleans Voodoo Music + Arts Experience.

2013: Live Nation Forms Joint Venture with Insomniac Events

In 2013, Live Nation announced a joint venture with Insomniac Events, a promoter focused on electronic dance music.

2014: Live Nation Acquires C3 Presents

In 2014, Live Nation acquired C3 Presents in Austin, Texas.

August 2015: Live Nation Announces Live Nation Germany

In August 2015, Live Nation announced it would form Live Nation Germany, partnering with German promoter Marek Lieberberg, which would oversee Live Nation events in Austria and Switzerland.

2015: Live Nation Acquires Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

In 2015, Live Nation acquired Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee.

February 2016: Live Nation Acquires Union Events

In February 2016, Live Nation acquired Canada's largest independent concert promoter, Union Events.

March 2016: Live Nation Acquires Big Concerts International

In March 2016, Live Nation acquired Big Concerts International, South Africa's leading concert promoter.

2016: OSHA Violations

From 2016 to 2019, Live Nation was cited for at least ten OSHA violations, fined for serious incidents, and sued civilly for a concert incident.

2016: Live Nation Acquires Founders Entertainment

In 2016, Live Nation acquired Founders Entertainment, which is the New York City-based parent company of the Governors Ball Music Festival.

October 1, 2017: Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting

On October 1, 2017, the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting occurred, resulting in 58 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Victims settled for $800 million, receiving settlements four years later.

2017: Live Nation Entertainment Revenue in 2017

In 2017, Live Nation Entertainment reported a total revenue of $10.3 billion.

2017: Live Nation Announces Mercury East Partnership

In 2017, Live Nation announced New York City-based promotion company Mercury East in partnership with Michael Swier. This brought venues like Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom under Live Nation, along with existing venues such as Irving Plaza and Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island.

2017: Live Nation Invests in Music Festivals and Promoters

In 2017, Live Nation continued to invest in music festivals and promoters, acquiring a controlling interest in BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival, United Concerts, and CT Touring.

2017: Live Nation Purchases Blue Stone Entertainment and Cuffe & Taylor

In 2017, Live Nation purchased a controlling interest in Israeli promoter Blue Stone Entertainment and Cuffe & Taylor from the United Kingdom.

April 2018: DOJ Investigates Live Nation for Pressuring AEG

In April 2018, the United States Department of Justice initiated an investigation into Live Nation following allegations from AEG. AEG claimed that Live Nation pressured them into using Ticketmaster and intentionally avoided booking acts for AEG venues. Live Nation responded that venue selection was based on size and management rather than punitive actions.

May 2018: Live Nation Acquires Majority Stake in Rock in Rio Festival

In May 2018, Live Nation Entertainment acquired a majority stake in Brazil's Rock in Rio festival, including from SFX Entertainment. Roberto Medina continued to manage the festival's operations and provide consulting to Live Nation.

2018: Live Nation Acquires Red Mountain Entertainment

In 2018, Live Nation acquired Red Mountain Entertainment.

2018: Live Nation Acquires Majority Stakes in Frank Productions

In 2018, Live Nation acquired majority stakes in Frank Productions, based in Wisconsin.

October 2019: Live Nation Acquires Majority Stake in Groot Hospitality

In October 2019, Live Nation acquired a majority stake in David Grutman's Groot Hospitality, which owns nightclubs and restaurants in Miami, including LIV nightclub at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel.

2019: OSHA Violations

From 2016 to 2019, Live Nation was cited for at least ten OSHA violations, fined for serious incidents, and sued civilly for a concert incident.

2019: Inquests into Radiohead Concert Stage Collapse

In 2019, an inquest returned a verdict of accidental death regarding a Radiohead concert stage collapse in 2012, and a British inquest found that inadequate technical advice and construction techniques had caused the death.

April 2020: Saudi Arabia's PIF Acquires Stake in Live Nation

In April 2020, it was disclosed that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) recently acquired a 5.7% stake in Live Nation.

April 28, 2020: Saudi Arabia's PIF Investment in Live Nation Valued

On April 28, 2020, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) investment in Live Nation was valued at nearly $500 million, making the PIF Live Nation's third-largest shareholder.

2020: Live Nation Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted Live Nation, leading to the suspension of concerts and sporting events worldwide. The company faced lawsuits due to initial reluctance to offer full refunds to customers, but later amended its refund policies to address these complaints.

February 25, 2021: Live Nation Reports Revenue Drop in 2020

On February 25, 2021, Live Nation released its full-year 2020 financial results, reporting an 84% decrease in revenues due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

November 2021: Astroworld Festival Crowd Crushing Incident

In November 2021, a crowd crushing incident at the Astroworld Festival in Houston, promoted by Live Nation and organized and headlined by Travis Scott, resulted in 10 fatalities and nearly 5,000 injuries. Live Nation and other parties faced numerous lawsuits.

December 2021: Congressional Investigation into Astroworld Incident

In December 2021, the United States Congress House Oversight Committee announced a bipartisan investigation into Live Nation's role in the Astroworld Festival incident.

2021: Live Nation Acquires Majority Stake in Veeps

In 2021, Live Nation acquired a majority stake in the streaming entertainment company Veeps.

2021: Live Nation Forms Joint Venture with Duke Concept

In 2021, Live Nation announced a joint venture with Duke Concept, a concert promoter specializing in African artists, to support touring Afrobeat artists. Duke Concept manages production and logistics, while Live Nation offers venue support.

January 2022: Lawsuits Consolidated in Astroworld Case

In January 2022, over 387 lawsuits related to the Astroworld Festival incident were combined into a single case.

February 2022: Drakeo the Ruler Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed

In February 2022, the family of Drakeo the Ruler filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Live Nation following the rapper's death in a homicide backstage at the Once Upon a Time in LA music festival.

April 25, 2022: Live Nation Acquires Music Management International

On April 25, 2022, Live Nation acquired Philippines-based promoter Music Management International (MMI) to establish its local branch.

May 2022: Bill Pascrell Calls for Breakup of Live Nation

In May 2022, Representative Bill Pascrell issued letters to the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice, calling for Live Nation to be unwound and broken up, citing its safety record and other factors.

November 2022: Calls to Break Up Live Nation Repeated

In November 2022, calls for Live Nation to be unwound and broken up were repeated after the Taylor Swift (The Eras Tour) Ticketmaster controversy.

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January 2023: Motion to Dismiss Drakeo the Ruler Lawsuit Rejected

In January 2023, a judge rejected Live Nation's motion to dismiss the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Drakeo the Ruler's family, ruling that the need for security at the event made the safety of performing artists foreseeable to the defendants.

August 2, 2023: Ticketmaster and Live Nation Sued for Patent Infringement

On August 2, 2023, Dynamic Ticket Systems, LLC. sued Ticketmaster and Live Nation for patent infringement.

August 2023: Federal Judge Rules Against Live Nation in Arbitration Practices

In August 2023, federal judge George H. Wu ruled that Live Nation's unilateral change of arbitration providers was unconscionable, allowing the class action status to remain. The judge found New Era's rules to be "fundamentally unfair" and that they granted New Era "unchecked power" in grouping cases. The Ninth Circuit court concurred, criticizing New Era's rules.

2023: Live Nation's Status in Live Entertainment

As of early 2023, Live Nation's annual shareholders report states the company has controlling interests in 338 venues globally and considers itself the largest live entertainment company, the largest producer of live music concerts, the leading live entertainment ticketing sales and marketing company, and a major artist management and music advertising network.

2023: Antitrust Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Live Nation over Arbitration Practices

In 2023, Live Nation faced an antitrust class action lawsuit alleging that in 2021, they unfairly changed their arbitration provider from JAMS to New Era ADR, which had rules more favorable to Live Nation. The plaintiffs argued that New Era's rules, including limitations on filings, briefs, discovery, and evidence, were "Kafkaesque" and would hinder their ability to meet antitrust pleading standards.

May 2024: Ticketmaster Data Breach Confirmed

In May 2024, Live Nation confirmed a 1.3 TB data leak at subsidiary Ticketmaster, potentially affecting over 500 million customers. The breach, attributed to the ShinyHunters hacker group targeting Snowflake infrastructure, led to a class action lawsuit.

May 2024: Justice Department Sues to Break Up Live Nation

In May 2024, the Justice Department and a coalition of states sued Live Nation over antitrust violations, seeking to break up the company.

May 23, 2024: DOJ Sues Live Nation for Anti-Competitive Practices

On May 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice, along with 29 states and the District of Columbia, announced a lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, alleging anti-competitive practices.

2024: Irish Consumer Watchdog Rules Out Ticketmaster Investigation

In August of 2024, Ireland's consumer watchdog declined to investigate ticket pricing after significant price increases on Ticketmaster and website failures during sales for Oasis concerts scheduled for August of 2025.