Ticketmaster Buys Front Line Management, Picks Up Guns N' Roses, Eagles Tours

With the threat of Live Nation's own ticketing service looming on the horizon, Ticketmaster made a big move toward standing its own ground by acquiring the majority share of Front Line Management. With Front Line in tow, Ticketmaster now adds tours by artists like Christina Aguilera, the Eagles, Jimmy Buffett and Guns N' Roses to their roster. Ticketmaster purchased the 30% share of Front Line, previously owned by Warner Music Group, for $123 million and will now call the new enterprise Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. Primary and secondary ticketing, e-commerce and fan clubs will all fold into the terms of the deal. The venture also placed GNR co-manager Irving Azoff as its new CEO. Ticketmaster bosses likely got nervous after Live Nation wrapped up deals with Jay-Z, Shakira, Madonna and Nickelback, but this new shows Ticketmaster won't be rolling over.

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Song Stories

“Let My Love Open the Door”

Pete Townshend | 1980

A peppy, hopeful love song, "Let My Love Open the Door" became a U. S. Top Ten hit for Pete Townshend in 1980, anchored by the kind of repeating synthesizer figures that he'd used in some of the Who's recordings in the previous decade. Although Townshend brushed the song off as "just a ditty" in Rolling Stone shortly after its release, in 1996 he revealed it was about love of the holiest sort. "It's supposed to be about the power of God's love," he remarked. "That when you're in difficulty, whether it's major or minor, God's love is always there for you."

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