Concert tickets have become outrageously expensive. Fans see prices skyrocket, then watch service and processing fees pile on at checkout. Families save for months to attend a show — only to feel squeezed at every step.

The Department of Justice sued Live Nation, alleging the company used its dominant position in live music to limit competition. According to the government’s complaint, Ticketmaster handles ticketing for about 80% of major concert venues in the United States. 

Now, a tentative settlement would leave the company intact.

If federal officials are not going to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster, then ticket buyers deserve relief. Fans who paid inflated prices and excessive fees during the period covered by the DOJ’s case should not be left empty-handed.

Under President Trump’s administration, the Justice Department and participating state attorneys general have the authority to require accountability. This is not about party politics — it’s about fairness for the millions of Americans who simply wanted to see their favorite artists live.

We call on the U.S. Department of Justice, state attorneys general involved in the case, and the federal court overseeing this settlement to require Live Nation to establish a compensation fund for ticket buyers harmed by inflated prices and fee overcharges.

Music should bring people together — not leave them feeling ripped off.