LN, UMG Announce Partnership

Live Nation’s Front Line Management Group and Universal Music Group announced today the formation of a strategic partnership aimed at managing artists and brands through a variety of worldwide sponsorships, strategic marketing campaigns and branding opportunities.

The partnership will be managed by Front Line and focus on developing bundling opportunities for select UMG artists in key global markets. Ticketing and bundling will be handled by Ticketmaster.

“This is an unprecedented partnership that unites the world’s top music artists with the world’s leading artist management, live entertainment, event ticketing and sponsorship resources to drive innovation across our industry,” LN chairman Irving Azoff said in a statement.

UMG’s artist management companies include Trinifold, Twenty First Artists, 5B and Sanctuary, whose artists include contestants from “The Voice,” as well as The Who, Roger Daltrey, Robert Plant, Mick Fleetwood, ZZ Top, Tommy Lee, Judas Priest, Pete Townshend and Slipknot, among others.

Each of UMG’s divisions will remain independently run under their current management, including managers Carl Stubner, Bill Curbishley and Robert Rosenberg. Cory Brennan and Bob Johnsen of 5B and Colin Lest of TFA will work closely with Front Line to expand their current rosters, according to the statement.