Live Nation Raises Minimum Wage For Its 5,000 Club Venue Employees To $20/Hour

As part of the On the Road Again program, Live Nation raises club workers’ minimum wage, which has now resulted in a minimum wage of almost three times the US federal minimum wage.

The wage hike was an extension of Live Nation’s On the Road Again program, first rolled out in September with the endorsement of touring legend Willie Nelson. The $20 per hour base pay is significantly higher than federal minimum wage, which currently sits at $7.50 an hour and serves as the defacto minimum wage in 30 states. Washington has the highest minimum wage in the U.S., starting at $15.74 per hour, followed by California at $15.50, Connecticut and Massachusetts at $15 and New York at $14.20.

“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. 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 live.” – Michael Rapino (Live Nation CEO)

Live Nation, the event promoter and venue operator, is now reaching a new milestone with its On the Road Again program. Their next big move will be to reward staff at the clubs they operate in other ways. As they put it, the company strongly emphasizes rewarding its staff, “an ongoing effort to support developing artists and the crew that work behind the scenes to make shows happen”. The company, which recently also acquired Páramo Presenta (a Colombian promoter brand), will now be of great help to more than 5,000 of its employees.

Company officials added that two other initiatives announced by Live Nation a commitment that all headline and support acts playing Live Nation clubs would receive $1,500 in travel bonuses on top of nightly compensation and zero fees on band merch sold at participating LN venues, would be extended through 2024.