Pollstar Ownership: Who Controls the Concert Industry's Biggest Data Source?

When you check your favorite band’s tour dates or see how many tickets sold in Chicago last weekend, you’re probably looking at data from Pollstar, a leading live music industry tracking and analytics company that has shaped how tours are planned, marketed, and measured since the 1970s. Also known as the industry’s concert bible, Pollstar doesn’t just report numbers—it influences who gets booked, where, and when. But who actually owns it? That’s not something you’ll find on their website. In 2021, Pollstar was acquired by Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s largest live entertainment company that also owns Ticketmaster and operates hundreds of venues globally. This isn’t just a corporate rename—it’s a consolidation of power. Now, the same company that sells your ticket also tracks how many people showed up, how much was spent on merch, and which cities are trending for future tours.

Pollstar’s data doesn’t just help promoters. Artists use it to decide whether to play a 2,000-seat theater or a 20,000-seat arena. Venue managers rely on it to negotiate with touring acts. Even local promoters in Dayton or Cincinnati check Pollstar’s reports before booking a show, because if a band has sold 15,000 tickets across three cities, they’re likely to draw a crowd in Ohio too. It’s not magic—it’s hard numbers, gathered from venues, promoters, and ticketing systems across North America and beyond. And because Live Nation owns both Pollstar and Ticketmaster, the data flows within one ecosystem. That means less transparency for smaller promoters and independent venues trying to compete.

There’s another layer: Pollstar’s weekly box office charts are the industry standard. When a band hits #1 on Pollstar’s Top 100 Tours, it’s a badge of credibility. But that ranking is now controlled by a company that also controls the tickets and the stages. That’s why some artists and indie promoters push for alternative data sources. Still, for now, if you want to know who’s selling out, who’s growing, and who’s fading, Pollstar is still the go-to source. And thanks to its ownership by Live Nation, that source is more powerful—and more centralized—than ever.

Below, you’ll find articles that dig into the real-world impact of concert data, from how ticket prices are set to why some shows feel like they’re everywhere while others vanish. Whether you’re a fan, a musician, or just curious about how the business behind the music works, these stories show what happens when numbers drive the show.