This week’s decision by Live Nation to bring on board Richard Grenell, an ally of former President Trump, sparked controversy within the live music industry. Various music executives expressed their disapproval to The Hollywood Reporter, claiming that the appointment was a strategic move by the company in response to the monopoly lawsuit it’s dealing with from the Department of Justice.
Grenell has been a loyal associate of Trump for a long time, previously holding the position of U.S. ambassador to Germany during Trump’s initial term, and subsequently taking on the role of interim executive director at the Kennedy Center following Trump’s takeover in February. The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Live Nation about a year ago, alleging that the company leverages its control over concert promotion and ticketing with Ticketmaster to suppress competition, advocating for the dissolution of the company.
Gary Witt, president and CEO of Milwaukee-based Pabst Theater Group, states that it’s no surprise to witness this situation because it’s clearly unfolding before our eyes. In essence, he’s referring to a transaction where one party appears to be attempting to purchase their way out of investigation by the DOJ and 40 state attorneys general.
About a year ago, I (as a fan) found myself in the middle of a legal dispute between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Live Nation. The DOJ accused Live Nation of leveraging its dominance in concert promotion and ticketing (specifically with Ticketmaster) to squash competition. They suggested breaking up the company as a solution. However, Live Nation has repeatedly refuted these claims. Last year, Dan Wall, Executive Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at Live Nation, wrote that the complaint was leading people to believe that ticket prices would decrease if action was taken against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. In his view, the DOJ’s actions aren’t addressing the real issues consumers face.
When queried about the statements regarding Grenell’s appointment, a Live Nation spokesperson directed THR towards the company’s announcement made on Tuesday. In a statement released on that day, Randall Mays, the chairman of the board at Live Nation Entertainment, expressed his delight at welcoming Ric to their Board. “His professional background will provide us with a unique perspective as Live Nation contributes to the expanding global live music industry,” said Mays.
Another music industry leader, preferring to remain unnamed due to concerns about reprisals from Live Nation, described Grenell’s appointment as “one of the most overt attempts to interfere with a legal case that I have witnessed.
The executive questions, “Beyond his connection to Trump, what unique skills does he offer? What benefits does he bring to the table? It’s quite clear. Would they have chosen him if he wasn’t so closely associated with Trump? If there hadn’t been a lawsuit filed by the DOJ against him, would they have given him the position? The answers seem to be no in both cases.
Grinell’s new position arises amidst uncertainty in the live music industry about the Trump administration’s approach towards the ongoing Live Nation case, which was passed down from the Biden administration. At this point, it remains unclear whether Grinell’s appointment will influence the direction of this case moving forward.
A policy analyst, who’s been closely tracking the DOJ case, expresses a different perspective: “While some might believe the case is over, I think you could also reach the opposite conclusion,” they note, speaking anonymously due to not being allowed to comment publicly on the matter. “In fact, it’s plausible that Live Nation feels itself in a tight spot and is resorting to this apparent tactic as a last-ditch effort.
Beyond the ongoing civil case, it was recently reported last week that authorities might bring criminal charges against Live Nation and competitor AEG due to accusations of colluding in their handling of refunds for concerts cancelled during the pandemic. Live Nation has since refuted these allegations.
Last week, Wall stated that we didn’t work together with AEG or anyone else. He expressed pride in our management during challenging circumstances, stating that if any accusations arise from the ongoing investigation, we will strongly fight against them.”
Or even more informally:
“Last week, Wall said that we didn’t team up with AEG or anyone else. He’s proud of how we handled things back then, and if there are any charges coming from this probe, we’ll stand our ground and fight them off.
Trump’s appointment comes amidst a growing confrontational attitude from him towards prominent artists online in recent times. Following Bruce Springsteen’s criticism of the Trump administration during a recent U.K. concert, Trump posted a somewhat menacing message on Truth Social, saying that Springsteen should “STAY SILENT” until he returns to the country, adding, “Once he’s back, we’ll see how things turn out for him!
This past week, Trump proposed launching an extensive inquiry concerning the performances of musicians such as Springsteen, Beyoncé, and Bono at Kamala Harris’s campaign events.
Read More
2025-05-22 03:24