UPRAWR Podcast

The Rise, Power and Controversy of Live Nation

UPRAWR Podcast

Show Notes

Live Nation has grown from a concert promoter into one of the most powerful companies in the global music industry In this episode, we look back at how it became so dominant, its merger with Ticketmaster, its influence over venues, tours and ticketing, and ask the big question: does Live Nation now have too much control over live music?

More from UPRAWR Podcast

Sep 21, 2026

From 1600s opera houses to stadium tours, Live Nation and billion-dollar concerts, we look at how the live music industry was built. Turns out, promoters have been using the same tricks for hundreds of years: tiered tickets, overpriced drinks, manufactured hype, venue monopolies and huge financial gambles. This is the 400-year story of concert promoting.

Sep 7, 2026

Fueled By Ramen went from a tiny DIY label with basically nomoney to becoming the home of some of the biggest alternative bands of the last 20 years. In this episode, we get into the story behind the label, howthey found bands like Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, Paramore, fun. and Twenty One Pilots, the risks they took along the way, and how John Janick went from starting the label as a teenager to eventually running Interscope Records. Some of the stories behind these bands are insane, lets get into it

Aug 24, 2026

David Savereux has spent his career at the heart of UK nightlife, taking on the running of Sheffield’s legendary Corporation nightclub at just 21 years old.In this episode, we get into what’s really happening to British nightclubs, why young people aren’t going out like they used to, the true cost of a night out, and how phones, dating apps and changing drinking habits have completely reshaped club culture.David also explains why simply opening the doors isn’t enough anymore, why club nights constantly need new themes and reasons for people to turn up, how alternative culture has changed with a new generation, and what it actually takes to keep an independent nightclub alive.

Aug 17, 2026

AEG is one of the most powerful companies in live entertainment, but the story behind it starts far away from concerts, festivals and arenas.

Aug 3, 2026

Korda Marshall has spent more than 40 years at the heart of the music industry, helping shape the careers of some of the biggest artists ofthe last few decades. From signing Take That and backing Muse, to working withThe Darkness, James Blunt, Green Day and many more, his career has been built on spotting the potential that other people often missed In this episode, Korda talks about being fired before Take That became huge, using the payout to launch Infectious Records, discovering Muse while they were still teenagers, passing on Radiohead, and hearing American Idiot before it was released He also breaks down what A&R actually does, why great artists still get overlooked, and what it really takes to recognise a hit before the rest of the world catches up.

See all episodes →