Showbiz Sandbox 406: Is Live Nation Bullying the Music Industry?

The merger of concert promoter Live Nation and ticketing giant Ticketmaster was supposed to increase competition, stabilize the price of live events and lower the cost of ticketing fees. Nine years later the deal has achieved none of those results. In fact, there are now reports that the Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation on Live Nation. Who could have ever predicted that would happen when the merger was first proposed? Oh yes, that’s right… everyone (including us)!

As the recorded music industry slowly scratches it’s way back to 2008 revenue levels, one of the companies instrumental in the upswing is looking to cash in. More specifically, investors in Spotify are looking to reap the rewards of their ownership stake in Spotify, the streaming music giant, as it goes public. That begs the question however, do record labels with a piece of the company now have an incentive to give Spotify better terms? And where does that leave artists?

Meanwhile, the MPAA announced global box office reached a record high of $40.6 billion in 2017. North America contributed $11 billion to the total, a level reached mostly through increased ticket prices since attendance was at a 23 year low.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including some of the changes taking place at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Bruce Springsteen extends his stay on Broadway and online piracy continues to grow.

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comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of April 8, 2018
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-april-8-2018-300626064.html

The Daily Fix: Why did it take 20 years for Salman Khan to be convicted in the blackbuck case?
https://scroll.in/article/874617/the-daily-fix-why-did-it-take-20-years-for-salman-khan-to-be-convicted-in-the-blackbuck-case

Spielberg Beaten by Brazil Evangelicals on ‘Fake’ Box Office
https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/2018/04/03/spielberg-beat-by-brazil-evangelical-biopic-on-fake-box-office

Global Box Office Hits Record $40.6 Billion in 2017; U.S. Attendance Lowest in 23 Years
http://variety.com/2018/digital/news/global-box-office-hits-record-40-6-billion-in-2017-u-s-attendance-lowest-in-23-years-1202742991/

China Box Office Overtakes North America in First Quarter of 2018
http://variety.com/2018/film/asia/china-box-office-global-biggest-first-quarter-2018-1202742159/

The Case of Hong Kong’s Missing Booksellers
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/03/magazine/the-case-of-hong-kongs-missing-booksellers.html

MoviePass Lifts Blackout of Popular AMC Locations
http://variety.com/2018/film/news/moviepass-lifts-amc-blackout-1202744076/

MoviePass Parent Acquires Moviefone in Deal With Verizon’s Oath
http://variety.com/2018/digital/news/moviepass-acquires-moviefone-15-million-deal-1202744759/

‘Hidden Figures’ Series in Development at Nat Geo
http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/hidden-figures-series-nat-geo-1202745202/

How Does Spotify’s First Day Stack Up?
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/03/business/dealbook/spotify-first-day-trading.html

Spotify: At Day’s Close, What Are the Major Labels’ Shares Worth? A Lot …
http://variety.com/2018/biz/news/spotify-at-days-close-what-are-sony-warner-and-universals-shares-worth-a-lot-1202743146/

From Mood Playlists to Metadata: How Smart Speakers Are the Next Frontier — And Challenge — For the Music Business
https://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/8265056/from-mood-playlists-to-metadata-how-smart-speakers-are

Academy Dismisses Sexual Harassment Allegations Against John Bailey
http://variety.com/2018/film/news/john-bailey-academy-board-meeting-1202737871/

Swedish Academy in Crisis as 3 Members Quit Amid #MeToo Scandal
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/07/world/europe/swedish-academy-abuse-accusations.html

Nickelodeon, Dan Schneider End Relationship
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/nickelodeon-dan-schneider-end-relationship-1097559

Netflix Threatens to Withhold Films From Cannes Festival (Exclusive)
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflix-threatens-withhold-films-cannes-festival-1100244

‘Roseanne’ Revival Skyrockets With Stunning Premiere
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-roseanne-revival-skyrockets-stunning-premiere-1097943

Saudi Delegation Pitches Ambitious Plan for Entertainment Industry to Hollywood Investors
http://variety.com/2018/biz/news/saudi-entertainment-authority-summit-1202743933/

AMC Opening Saudi Arabia’s First Movie Theater In two Weeks
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/amc-open-saudi-arabias-first-movie-theater-two-weeks-1099615

‘Black Panther’ to Break Saudi Arabia’s 35-Year Cinema Ban
http://variety.com/2018/film/global/black-panther-to-break-saudi-arabias-35-year-cinema-ban-1202744703/

‘Black-ish’ Creator Kenya Barris Plots Exit From ABC Studios Pact After Clashes
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/black-ish-creator-kenya-barris-plots-exit-abc-studios-pact-clashes-1099582

Olivia de Havilland’s ‘Feud’ Suit Tossed by Appeals Court
http://variety.com/2018/biz/news/olivia-de-havilland-feud-lawsuit-tossed-1202736605/

Musician Wins Landmark Ruling Over Ruined Hearing
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-43571144

Inside Amazon’s $250M ‘Lord of the Rings’ Deal: “It’s Very Much a Creature of the Times”
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/how-lord-rings-tv-series-landed-at-amazon-not-netflix-1099213

Top Authors Make Mass Call on Man Booker to Drop American Writers
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/mar/28/top-authors-make-mass-call-on-man-booker-to-drop-american-writers

‘Frozen’ Shatters Box-office Record at the St. James Theatre
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-frozen-record-20180402-story.html

Broadway Box Office: ‘Harry Potter’ Conjures Massive First Week Sales
http://variety.com/2018/legit/news/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-sales-broadway-1202736228/

Live Nation Rules Music Ticketing, Some Say With Threats
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/01/arts/music/live-nation-ticketmaster.html

Department of Justice ‘Looking Into Accusations’ Against Live Nation, Report Claims
http://variety.com/2018/biz/news/department-of-justice-looking-into-accusations-against-live-nation-report-claims-1202741073/

Steven Bochco, Producer of ‘Hill Street Blues’ and ‘NYPD Blue,’ Dies at 74
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/02/obituaries/steven-bochco-dead-tv-producer.html