In a move that's sure to resonate throughout the music industry, Live Nation has announced a substantial increase in the minimum wage for its hourly club staff. This initiative, aptly named the "On the Road Again" program, will raise the base pay to $20 per hour, while supervisor roles will start at $25 per hour. This decision will directly impact over 5,000 crew members who play crucial roles in bringing live music experiences to life.
The ripple effect of this decision extends far beyond the immediate financial benefits for the affected employees. It's an overdue message of recognition and appreciation for the often-overlooked individuals who form the backbone of the music industry. From box office attendants to production crew, artist hospitality staff, guest services personnel, ushers, parking attendants, cleaning crews, and sustainability coordinators, these individuals are the unsung heroes who make every concert a success.
"Shows wouldn't happen without the unsung heroes who work in the background to help support artists and fans. In addition to developing artists, clubs also help industry professionals learn the ropes, and many of our promoters and venue managers worked their way up from smaller venues" expressed Michael Rapino, CEO and president of Live Nation Entertainment. "The live music industry is on track for years of growth and offers a great career path, and by increasing minimum wages we're helping staff get an even stronger start as they begin their journey in life."
This wage increase is the latest initiative from "On The Road Again", a program recently created to support developing artists as well as hardworking crews. Through it, all headline and support acts playing Live Nation clubs continue to receive $1,500 in travel bonuses on top of nightly compensation and 100% of merch profits.
In an era where rising costs and economic uncertainty threaten the viability of smaller venues and independent artists, this is a welcomed change, but still a far cry from a broad help, as the list of venues participating in the program is limited (for instance there's only 1 venue "enrolled" in the whole state of Florida). Also, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has claimed that Live Nation is using this program as a "calculated attempt" to divert bands away from independent venues.
Bottom line: a positive step towards creating a more equitable and sustainable live music industry, but there's a lot more that needs changing.
