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Jury Labels Live Nation Illegal Monopoly: What’s Next for Live Music?

Do we dare hope for the end of exorbitant ticket prices and exclusive venues?

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On April 15, 2026, the verdict in the high-profile antitrust trial against Live Nation and Ticketmaster found that the ticket sellers maintained an illegal monopoly on the live music market. After roughly five weeks of testimony, the jury began deliberating on April 10.

The initial complaint was brought against the live venue giants in 2024, put forth by the U.S. Department of Justice and a group of state attorneys general. But Live Nation and Ticketmaster have been shaping the live music industry since their merger in 2010, becoming Live Nation Entertainment.

In the lawsuit, the main issue was Live Nation’s “anticompetitive conduct.” It laid out details of how the company controlled ticketing, venues, booking, and promotions. Live Nation Entertainment essentially narrowed the playing field for artists, setting itself up as the only booking option. Fans paid higher prices, scalpers and bots were rampant, and live music........

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