Reviewing TM China

In all the excitement surrounding the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger, one aspect of the story that was overlooked is that Ticketmaster’s China operations were closed two weeks ago.

To commemorate the passing of Ticketmaster China, the music blog China Music Radar reviewed its history, which involved Ticketmaster’s purchase of the China-based promoter and ticketing agency Emma Entertaintment.

Emma was set up by an American, Jon Krane, who had no background in music promotion but saw a gap in the China music market and attempted to fill it.

His first major promotional gambit was a huge one: bringing The Rolling Stones to China in 2005.

Eventually, however, the burden of being the only real foreign music promoter in China became too much. After a string of disasters, including Oasis and Celine Dion cancellations, Krane resigned in May of last year.

But, apparently, the damage he left behind couldn’t be repaired.

According to CMR, the demise of Ticketmaster China leaves the country’s music promotion world “similar to that of 10 years ago – dodgy promoters, nervous managers and agents, and a dearth of legitimate action at the top end of the industry.”