Live Nation has announced it will no longer take cuts of merchandise sold by artists playing any of its club-sized venues. What’s more, through the end of the year, the company will offer $1,500 stipends per show to all headlining and support acts, Consequence reports.
The decision arrives as part of a new developing-artist program the company has launched with country legend, Willie Nelson. The program, dubbed “On the Road Again” in honor of Nelson, is designed to give a helping hand to smaller, developing artists, who have faced increased economic difficulties in recent years. Now, not only have merchandise fees — which have been known to eat up to 15% – 30% of an artist’s merch sales — been removed, but artists will receive an additional $1,500 stipend to cover “gas and travel,” and crews, local promoters, tour reps, and more will all be doled out unspecified bonuses.
Live Nation has indicated that the program will be implemented over the next several months at each of its 77 club-sized venues, which includes all of the House of Blues and Fillmore locations.
“Family farmers have the solutions to some of our toughest challenges,” Farm Aid President and Founder Willie Nelson said in a statement. “As we face a changing climate, farmers in Indiana, across the Midwest and all over the country are farming in ways that create more resilient farms to build healthy soils and protect our water.”
The last Farm Aid show has marked Neil Young’s first public performance at Farm Aid since 2019. He participated in the organization’s Covid-era streaming show in 2020 but skipped the 2021 and 2022 in-person events due to fears about the virus. They were the first Farm Aids he had missed since the formation of the annual charity event in 1985.
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