Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, have been accused of effectively monopolizing the live music industry.

The Justice Department has launched an investigation into Live Nation following years of anti-trust complaints from across the live music industry.

According to The New York Times, the probe will broadly examine accusations of abuse against Live Nation Entertainment, a company formed after a 2010 merger with Ticketmaster. The claims range from the company wielding unmatched influence and power in the live music and ticketing industry to leveraging access to tours from their vast roster of more than 450 artists to effectively force venues to use Ticketmaster as their ticketing provider. Ironically enough, it was the Justice Department who approved the merger. But on the condition of Live Nation Entertainment selling off parts of the company and entering a decade-long agreement that forbade it from using its artists and their tours as bargaining chips for exclusivity deals with venues. That agreement was extended until 2025, but sources who spoke under the condition of anonymity claimed the company had violated the deal on multiple occasions between 2010 and 2020.

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