In this special solo episode of Decibel & Docket, host Dave Brooks unpacks one of the most sprawling—and revealing—Senate hearings the live entertainment industry has seen in years. Recorded in the wake of the January 28, 2026 U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing, this episode breaks down what lawmakers, artists, venues, ticketing giants, and resale lobbyists said on the record about ticket fees, bots, scalpers, and the future of concert ticketing—and, just as importantly, what they didn’t say.

The hearing, titled “Examining the Impact of Ticket Sales Practices and Bot Resales on Concert Fans,” brought together an unusually diverse group of witnesses: Kid Rock, Live Nation/Ticketmaster executive Dan Wall, secondary-market lobbyist Brian Berry, and Colorado Independent Venue Association chair David Weingarden. Over more than two hours, senators bounced between antitrust concerns, hidden fees, speculative ticketing, resale price caps, and enforcement of the BOTS Act, often conflating complex issues and leaving key questions unanswered .

Dave walks listeners through Kid Rock’s combative and headline-grabbing testimony, including his support for breaking up Live Nation and Ticketmaster, his call for a nationwide 10% cap on ticket resale markups, and his argument that artists should have full control over how and where their tickets are sold. The episode explains why a resale cap at that level would amount to an effective ban on the secondary ticketing business—and why that idea is gaining traction among artists and lawmakers alike.

From there, Dave dissects Live Nation’s defense, including Wall’s claims about market share, bot enforcement, artist choice, and the company’s role in pricing and resale. He explains how those arguments fit into the broader DOJ antitrust case, why market definition matters so much in court, and how Live Nation’s current legal posture could shape the outcome of the lawsuit.

The episode also highlights testimony from independent venues, detailing how bot-driven bulk purchases and resale fraud directly hurt venues’ bottom lines through lost food and beverage revenue, staffing costs, and chargebacks. Dave contrasts those concerns with the testimony from resale industry advocates—and calls out moments where the hearing exposed fundamental misunderstandings about how bots, brokers, and secondary markets actually operate.

Throughout the episode, Decibel & Docket does what congressional hearings often don’t: provide context. Dave separates bots from brokers, transparency reforms from structural fixes, and political theater from policy substance. He explains why “all-in pricing” may reduce sticker shock but won’t stop scalping, why speculative ticketing bans matter, and why the real fight may now be shifting overseas as the U.K. experiments with stricter resale limits.

The episode closes with a clear-eyed assessment of what this hearing actually tells us about the future of ticketing in the U.S.—including what Kid Rock’s testimony may signal politically, why a resale cap would be a seismic change for the industry, and why the most important case study may not be Washington, but Europe.

If you want to understand what’s really happening behind the soundbites—and what this hearing means for fans, artists, venues, and the billion-dollar ticketing ecosystem—this episode is your roadmap.

Decibel & Docket returns with a sharp, insider breakdown of two of the most contentious issues in the modern music business: digital ticket fraud and AI music licensing. Hosted by veteran entertainment journalist Dave Brooks and attorney Mike Seville, this episode digs deep into the legal gray areas reshaping live entertainment, ticketing, and artist rights.

The episode opens with a detailed legal analysis of AXS vs. SecureMyPass, a lawsuit that exposes how so-called spoofed digital tickets” are being created, sold, and used at major concerts. Brooks and Seville unpack how cloned mobile tickets circulate on the secondary market, why multiple buyers can unknowingly purchase the same ticket, and what that means for fans, venues, and promoters. The conversation explores trademark infringement claims, alleged breaches of ticketing platform terms, and the broader question at the center of modern ticket law: are concert tickets personal property or merely revocable licenses?

Drawing on years of reporting and legal experience, the hosts place the lawsuit within the wider ticketing ecosystem, explaining how professional ticket brokers operate, the technology behind large-scale ticket resale, and why most shows never experience inflated resale pricing — even as high-demand events fuel public outrage. The episode also connects the case to ongoing regulatory pressure, including DOJ antitrust scrutiny and consumer protection lawsuits from the FTC targeting Ticketmaster and oter dominant players in the ticketing industry.

In the second half, Decibel & Docket pivots to the rapidly evolving world of AI music licensing, breaking down independent music licensing agency Merlin’s deal with AI platform UDIO. Brooks and Seville examine how AI companies are shifting from generative models toward remixing and customization of licensed recordings, and what that means for artists, labels, and copyright law. The discussion raises urgent questions about artist consent, bargaining power for emerging musicians, and whether AI licensing deals truly protect creators or quietly reshape ownership and control.

Mike Seville offers practical legal guidance for artists navigating AI deals, stressing the importance of transparency, usage restrictions, compensation structures, and understanding how exposure may (or may not) translate into real economic benefit. The episode explores how AI-driven music tools could impact touring, fan engagement, and the future value of recorded music.

The show closes with a Reporter’s Notebook segment on shifting power dynamics inside Warner Music Group, including CEO succession chatter, executive compensation updates, and how Wall Street is reacting to leadership uncertainty at one of the world’s largest music companies.

Fast-paced, informed, and occasionally irreverent, this episode of Decibel & Docket delivers essential context for anyone following the business, legal, and technological forces reshaping live entertainment and recorded music.

Welcome to Episode 1 of Decibel & Docket, a podcast examining the legal, financial, and cultural forces shaping the modern music industry. Hosted by longtime music business reporter Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Mike Seville, the show dives deep into lawsuits, licensing battles, streaming economics, touring, and artist rights — translating complex legal issues into plain language for industry insiders and fans alike.

This episode centers on Elon Musk and X Corp’s high-profile lawsuit against the music publishing industry, including claims that publishers and the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) colluded to flood X with more than 500,000 copyright takedown notices. Brooks and Seville analyze the lawsuit’s legal strategy, antitrust implications, copyright law questions, treble damages, and what the case could mean for social media platforms like Meta, TikTok, and YouTube — all of which already operate under broad music licensing agreements.

The conversation then turns to Spotify’s third price increase in just over two years, examining subscription costs, streaming economics, artist compensation, and whether higher prices actually benefit musicians. The hosts discuss Spotify’s recent feature expansions — including podcasts, audiobooks, music videos, and lossless audio — and debate whether streaming platforms are nearing a pricing breaking point for consumers.

The episode also honors Bob Weir, founding member of the Grateful Dead, highlighting his impact on live music culture, touring innovation, and advocacy for independent venues through the Save Our Stages Act.

Finally, Brooks delivers a Grammy preview and bold prediction, spotlighting hardcore band Turnstile and their historic nominations across rock, metal, and alternative categories — and explains why they could be poised for a rare awards sweep.