Will this be a dark day for Smackie?
So does post Live Nation cease to exist?
U2 signs deal with Live Nation Although the band will still distribute its physical recordings through Universal Music Group, the band is letting the rapidly-diversifying concert promoter Live Nation handle its digital distribution, merchandise, and "branding rights" for the next 12 years.
U2's move represents both a break from and embrace of the 360-degree deal concept. At a time when the labels and Live Nation are trying to sign artists to 360-degree deals that give companies a piece of just about every revenue stream leading to an artist, U2 has decided that it makes sense to let someone handle the distribution of T-shirts, lunchboxes, legos and digital files -- so long as that is not the same company that sells the band's CDs.
Bono told BBC News that U2 has been in business with Live Nation for decades, an arrangement formalized by the deal. "We've been dating for over 20 years now. It's about time we tied the knot."
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No early april fools joke
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7322106.stm http://www.nme.com/news/u2/35540 ***
so will live nation make an effort to protect those digital distribution rights? i.e. look deeper into torrent sites..