You gotta understand something there. This music is the glue of the world. It holds it all together.

Without this, life would be meaningless. What are you getting so crazy about? It's just music.

Welcome to Sound Opinions from Chicago Public Radio and American Public Media.

I'm Jim Di Regattis, the pop music critic at the Chicago Sun Times.

And I'm Greg Codd. I write about Rock and Roll for the Chicago Tribune.

Today on the world's only Rock and Roll Talk Show,

Jim and I welcome Nico Case, who returns to the show to debut her new album, Middle Cyclone.

Plus, we'll review the much anticipated new album, Middle Cyclone. Plus we'll review the much anticipated new album from YouTube.

You're listening to sound opinions and now it's time for some music news.

If this merger is allowed to proceed, the combined entity will have the ability to

suppress or eliminate competition in many segments of the music industry including rival concert

promoters primary and secondary ticketing companies artist

management firms it is my belief this merger is vertical integration on steroids.

That was Jerry Michelson, a concert promoter in Chicago talking at the congressional

hearings this week on Capitol Hill involving one of the biggest news stories of the last half

century, the merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster, the largest concert promoter

in America, merging with the largest concert

ticketing agency in America to create a six billion dollar company called

Live Nation Entertainment.

We introduced this story last week, Greg, and it is no

exaggeration what you just said said biggest story of the decade

I have to say it's the biggest story I've ever covered as a music reporter.

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