Less than one week after unveiling a controversial memo featuring revamped artist-compensation specifics for the 2021 concert season, Live Nation has walked back some of the proposed terms.
Charles Attal, founder and co-president of Live Nation subsidiary C3 Presents, detailed the move away from the contentious payout policy changes in a recent interview.
Describing the memo mainly as a starting point for 2021 performance guidelines, Attal told Pollstar that the most poorly received element — requiring artists to pay twice their agreed upon fee when they cancel a show — has been nixed from all new Live Nation contracts.
And in defending the 20 percent reduction in artist guarantees, Attal shed light upon Live Nation performer contract clauses that increase compensation when festivals perform well financially. As Attal (and others live event execs) are anticipating a lucrative 2021 for music festivals, this point may prove capable of upping musicians’ pay past 2019 levels, he stated.
Lastly, Attal relayed that Live Nation is in the process of negotiating the fine points of 2021 contracts with artists, and that the discussion is particularly fluid because of the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
Various industry associations – including the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) – have sent the House Judiciary Committee a letter decrying Live Nation’s proposed 2021 terms. Additionally, the ARA has started a petition opposing the 2021 performance-agreement details – especially the (former) cancellation fee and the 20 percent payout drop.
On Monday, Digital Music News was first to report that Live Nation will host a drive-in concert series, dubbed “Live from the Drive-In,” next month. Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, and Nelly have been booked for the multi-city endeavor.
Live Nation’s stock, bought and sold under the symbol LYV, parted with almost six percent of its worth during today’s trading hours. The brand’s per-share price exceeded $57 earlier this month, but closed at $44.18 this afternoon.
I Think…
We should not have concerts for the entire year!
Let’s kill off middleman companies like Live Nation and Ticket Master so they have to file bankruptcy and become insolvent!
This company has NO REAL PURPOSE outside of gatekeeping for the music monopoly and charging us musicians and OUR audience to much money!
You Make Nothing!!!! How FUCKING DARE YOU INSERT YOURSELF AS A NECESSARY PART OF THIS BUSINESS
AS IF YOU ARE ESSENTIAL!!!
You’ve over stretched your self and now your looking to tax musicians and audiences to keep you around?
Fuck Live Nation
FUCK THE MUSIC MONOPOLY!!!
Do they not really provide any valuable services (marketing, communication, support, financial, etc.) that help either the artist, the venue (which they own many of), the agent, the manager, etc.?
Nothing You Can’t Do Yourself!
Not really. The idea of DIY goes only so far. I’m not saying LN is the end-all, be-all, but they have an established network and processes/systems in place that would take artists a lot of time and effort, with limited results.
No Seriously
Comedians do it just fine
Theaters Ballet Operas all manage to live just fine with out the middle man!
The only thing the music monopoly does is gatekeeper social media!
Not for long Bill Barr said he is looking at filing anti trust cases next month!
The music business is over
This is just rattling of the cage if you will
Dust in the wind!
We shall see, but I think you are underestimating what LN actually does.
I Think You Don’t Want To Accept That The Company You Obviously Represent Is A Zombie Corperation!
Dust In The Wind
You Can Come Out Of The Cave Anytime You Wish But Your Chains Are Golden
Bite Your Master Before They Bite You First…
Your Master Bites You You’ll Get The Z Because They Are A Zombie…
You Do Sound Cute Though Hopefully That Will Be Enough To Get You Through The Depression
I represent? You got that wrong.
Zombie? You need to take your meds.
Corperation? You got that wrong, too. It’s “corporation”.
Go riot and burn something already. Then double up on the xanax and get some sleep.
Sorry about that last comment. I’m a big idiot and forgot to take my medication today. I really should be put away in a mental ward.