Industry News

Ticket division excluded from Warner’s purchase of Songkick

Songkick has vowed to continue its legal action Ticketmaster and Live Nation after selling its concert discovery mobile platform to Warner Music Group in a deal that excludes its ticketing arm.

The Songkick app allows users to keep track of live events in their area through integration with their music library and online accounts with services such as Soundcloud, Shazam and Spotify.

The concert discovery app reaches around 15 million people per month, and has worked alongside big names such as Metallica, J.Cole, Mumford and Sons, Pixies, Red Hot Chili Peppers (pictured), Paul McCartney and Adele.

Songkick’s Crowdsurge feature provides artists with the means to sell their tickets directly to their fans, while also presenting them with a platform to market themselves.

However, the ticketing division will not be included as part of the deal because of its involvement in a legal battle with Ticketmaster and Live Nation. Songkick has accused the companies of hacking its systems to steal trade secrets and confidential information.

The Warner Group has officially adopted the Songkick discovery app, without the ticketing feature, and it will now “operate as a standalone brand.”

It will be overseen by WEA, WMG’s artist and label services division, which includes sales, distribution, streaming account management and playlisting, analytics, insight, artist websites and webstores, VIP experiences, fan clubs, and merchandising.

The company will also acquire Songkick’s related website, trademark and some of its employees.

WEA president Tony Harlow, said: “Fans all over the world trust Songkick to help them find events featuring the artists they love. It’s a passionate, highly engaged music community, always on the lookout for new experiences.

“Bringing together Songkick’s discovery platform and world-class technology with our existing e-commerce expertise and global reach represents a powerful step in strengthening and evolving our direct-to-fan capabilities.”

Songkick chief executive and co-founder Matt Jones, said: “Songkick was founded on the promise of improving the live experience for fans and the artists they love. Over the years, we have helped tens of millions find their next great live experience.

“And today, I’m excited to pass the baton on the discovery service to the great team at WMG, an ideal organisation to carry on this mission and to take it in new, innovative directions. And, on behalf of the many artists and fans we’ve served over the last decade, we are committed to continuing our litigation against Live Nation and Ticketmaster independently.”

Image: Sven Mandel