Kid Rock Condemns Ticketmaster and Live Nation as Monopoly That Crushes Fans

A Grammy-nominated singer has accused Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation of operating as a monopoly that harms fans, artists, and independent venues.

Robert Ritchie Jr., known professionally as Kid Rock, testified before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday at a hearing titled “Fees Rolled on All Summer Long: Examining the Live Entertainment Industry.” The session examined rising ticket prices, service fees, resale practices, automated ticket-buying bots, and speculative ticket pricing.

During his testimony, Kid Rock stated that Ticketmaster’s merger with Live Nation has failed consumers. “Independent venues have been crushed. Artists have lost leverage. Fans are paying more than ever and getting blamed for it,” he said in his opening statement. “This wasn’t an experiment. It was a monopoly dressed up as innovation.”

The company, which controls ticketing through Ticketmaster while also owning or operating venues and promoting tours, is currently facing an antitrust lawsuit brought by the Justice Department and a bipartisan coalition of 40 state attorneys general. A federal judge has allowed key claims to move forward, and Live Nation has filed a summary judgment motion seeking to dismiss the case before trial.

In response to allegations of monopolistic behavior, Live Nation Executive Vice President Dan Wall argued that federal regulators estimate the company’s market share at less than 50%, making it impossible for Live Nation to qualify as a monopoly under antitrust law. He stated that Live Nation expects to prevail in court.

The hearing also addressed automated ticket-buying bots, which critics say allow scalpers to purchase large blocks of tickets within seconds of sales opening, leaving fans without access and driving them into inflated resale markets. While federal law bans such bots, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., criticized Live Nation for weak enforcement and accused the company of refusing to address the issue. Wall countered that Live Nation invests heavily in anti-bot technology and is the industry leader in combating automated purchases, supporting a complete ban on ticket bots.

Another point of agreement among witnesses was the need to ban speculative ticket pricing—a practice where sellers list tickets they do not yet own. Critics say it inflates prices, misleads consumers, and creates market uncertainty. Kid Rock also called for a 10% cap on resale prices, subpoenas of artist contracts to uncover “fraud and abuse,” and granting artists authority over who sells their tickets.