Live Nation is a live music promotion and ticketing giant, but it also runs a powerhouse talent management business.
Indeed, the Michael Rapino-led company claimed in its 2023 annual report to be “one of the world’s leading artist management companies based on the number of artists represented”.
Live Nation reports to have managed more than 380 artists in 2023 – all via management companies co-owned or majority-owned by LN.
These ‘subsidiaries’ tend to be affiliated with LN’s ‘Artist Nation’ business; there were more than 90 individual managers involved as of the close of 2022.
On Tuesday (December 3), Live Nation revealed the latest addition to its talent management operation: It’s acquired a majority stake in Timeline – described by LN as one of Los Angeles’ “premier talent management firms” – for an undisclosed fee.
Veteran artist manager Larry Rudolph will serve as a strategic partner to Timeline, and, according to Live Nation, will offer “expert guidance in the seamless integration of talent and touring”.
Timeline, which will continue to be led by CEO Alexis Fisher, specializes in “young Hollywood and influencer talent,” and the acquisition marks Live Nation’s first venture with a talent management company focused on creators and influencers.
The company currently represents 25 clients, who, together, have nearly 200 million combined social media followers.
The acquisition of a majority stake in Timeline is a significant development for Live Nation given the rise and power of influencer marketing on social media platforms.
For example, Live Nation could potentially use the influencers’ vast social reach to promote its other 380 Artist Nation management clients, not to mention Live Nation tours.
“Alexis has been at the forefront of influencer talent management.”
Matthew Hansen, Live Nation Entertainment
Matthew Hansen, Chief Strategy Officer at Live Nation Entertainment, said in a statement today that Timeline’s CEO Alexis Fisher “has been at the forefront of influencer talent management”.
Hansen added: “The collaboration with Timeline will enable Live Nation to further expand into this emerging field, and we see Alexis’ integrated approach of combining influencer management, branding and touring as the next logical step for growth in the creator economy.”
Timeline’s roster works across all areas of entertainment, including social media, film and television, and music.
The company’s clients, according to Live Nation, include influencers such as Anastasia Karanikolaou, Madeleine White and Jamie Lynn Spears (sister of Britney), plus Chantel Jeffries, The Mian Twins, Carter Gregory, and Victoria Villarroel.
By joining forces with Live Nation, a press release reports, Timeline is expanding beyond its core management business to include additional branding services and will also advise on touring opportunities and offer talent tour production services.
For years, within its annual reports, Live Nation has reported annually on the number of individual artist managers working for Live Nation subsidiaries.
For example, according to the company’s 2022 annual report, “as of December 31, 2022, globally we had over 90 managers providing services to more than 410 artists”.
Below you can see the data of how many managers and artists Live Nation counted within its business each year. (Please note: In each case, Live Nation reports having “over X managers” and “more than X artists”.)
However, since 2023, Live Nation has only reported the “more than X artists” and not the “over X managers” metric.
Discussing the new team-up with LN, Alexis Fisher, CEO of Timeline, said today (December 3): “This strategic partnership with Live Nation represents a defining moment for both Timeline and the broader creator economy.
“By leveraging Live Nation’s unrivaled resources alongside our deep expertise in talent management, we are creating a robust platform that empowers creators and talent to thrive across all facets of their careers, including management, branding, and touring.”
“This strategic partnership with Live Nation represents a defining moment for both Timeline and the broader creator economy.”
Alexis Fisher, Timeline
Added Fisher: “This collaboration not only underscores our dedication to supporting and representing elite talent within the Timeline Management ecosystem but also drives innovation through the introduction of services such as tour production and brand consulting.
“Together, we are equipping talent with the essential tools to excel in the ever-evolving entertainment industry.”Music Business Worldwide
