Speaking to BBC 6 Music, the organisation's chief economist, Will Page, said: "We've been doing some maths back at the office. We have all the data on live music at the PRS because we license all the live performances that go around the country, so we're actually able to put a number on how much live music is worth." For their final calculations, Page explained the number crunchers had factored in VAT and booking fees before "we came to a number of £904m". "We now have a situation where live has officially taken over recorded," he said.
Sold Out (1) - Tickets for Michael Jackson's 50-date residency at the O2 arena in London have completely sold out, organisers have confirmed. Organisers say the This Is It tour has become the fastest-selling in history, with people from as far away as Japan, Belgium and Dubai queuing up to purchase their tickets. Ticketmaster's director, Chris Edmonds, said: "We often talk about unprecedented demand, but this week we have witnessed a live entertainment phenomenon. This was undoubtedly the busiest demand for tickets for an event which we have ever experienced."
Lobby News - Robbie Williams and members of Blur, Radiohead and Pink Floyd have launched a lobby group for rock and pop artists. The Featured Artists' Coalition hopes to give artists a greater voice in big decisions in the music industry, from digital deals to copyright law. Before its first meeting in London, Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien said it was "a defining time for the industry". "A lot of the rights and revenue streams are being carved up, and we need a voice," he told BBC News. "We need to be in there and we need to be discussing it, and I think all the major players want to hear what we have to say."
Sold Out (2) - Tickets for a one-off gig by Sir Paul McCartney in Las Vegas sold out seven seconds after going on sale, organisers have announced. Just 4,000 fans will see the former Beatle perform at the opening of the New Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on 19 April.
(Jim Evans)
