PODCAST · news
Decibel and Docket
by Dave Brooks
Decibel and Docket is a podcast at the intersection of the music business, live entertainment and the justice system. Hosted by veteran entertainment journalist Dave Brooks and attorney Mike Seville, this weekly podcast examines major legal stories and headlines affecting artists, content creators and the business of culture.
Episodes
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Does Live Nation Top Boss Michael Rapino Deserve $60 Million A Year + Why Robert Kraft Is Afraid to Treat Zach Bryan Like He Treated Ed Sheeran
On this episode of Decibel & Docket, journalist Dave Brooks, founder of Decibel News, and entertainment attorney Michael Seville cover three music business stories: Zach Bryan’s free speech stand at Gillette Stadium, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino’s new $60 million-a-year contract, and the U.S....
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Did Anthropic Use Torrents and Illegal Downloading To Steal Song Lyrics + Deep Dive on Ari Emanuel's New Book Roll The Calls
On this episode of the Decibel & Docket podcast, entertainment journalist Dave Brooks (founder of decibel.news) and entertainment attorney Michael Seville cover Hollywood power, AI copyright litigation, and the latest turn in the Live Nation–Ticketmaster antitrust case. The episode opens with...
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Author Spencer Waller Joins Dave to Talk About The History of Antitrust and Monopolies in the Theater Business + What Does Rob Bonta's Surrender on ParaBros Merger Mean for Live Nation?
The centerpiece of this episode is Dave's interview with Spencer Weber Waller, an antitrust professor at Loyola University Chicago, former Justice Department prosecutor, and author of Power and Greed: Monopolies, Mergers, and Cartels on the American Stage, out October 15 from Bloomsbury's Methuen...
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Private Equity Is Quietly Taking Over Youth Sports: Why and How Kids Games Became Big Money for Big Money
Entertainment journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville launch their new show, Decibel & Docket, with a wide-ranging conversation that moves from true-crime pop culture to a deep dive on one of the most under-covered stories in American sports: the rise of private equity…
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Confronting The Ticket Resale Crisis at the U.S. Open - How Stubhub and Seatgeek Have Turned Live Entertainment Upside Down
Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville are back with another episode of Decibel & Docket, diving into one of the wildest scam stories of the year before turning their attention to the ticket resale fight engulfing this year's US Open. Dave and Mike open by unpacking the bizarre…
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Did Trump Tip the Scales for Live Nation + Understanding Rostr's Gender Parity Study
On Episode 32 of Decibel & Docket, Dave Brooks and attorney Michael Seville examine the collision of music, power, politics and representation—from the life and legacy of Dolly Parton to Donald Trump’s reported intervention in the government’s antitrust case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster....
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Who Killed California's Anti-Ticket Scalping Law? + How Did Ellie Goulding Not Know Her Managers Were Owned by Live Nation?
Did California Attorney General Rob Bonta help kill a ticket reform bill to protect the government’s antitrust victory over Live Nation and Ticketmaster? And did Ellie Goulding spend years paying managers who were secretly owned by the same concert giant they were supposed to negotiate against?…
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Picking The Worst Cities For Live Music - Breaking Down Decibel's Underserved Music Markets List
Not all music towns are built the same. While some cities have great music venues and timeless festivals, others are often overlooked are shut out by radius clauses and contract exemptions that suffocate music scenes. On this special episode of Decibel and Docket, Mike and Dave break down the…
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Paramount Bets Billions, AI Breaks the Rules and a Lawyer Pauses the Show
What happens when an artificial intelligence system is told to complete a task—and decides the easiest path is to break the rules? In Episode 29 of Decibel & Docket, veteran entertainment journalist Dave Brooks and attorney Michael Seville open with the strange and unsettling story involving…
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Straight Outta the Conference Room: How a Deposition Uncovered a Murder Witness Hiding in a Civil Lawsuit
Snitches get stitches but what about deponents? A new development in the unsolved killing of Los Angeles rapper Drakeo the Ruler raises major questions about the relationship between civil litigation and criminal investigations—and what sworn testimony uncovered years after a murder can mean for…
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StubHub's Sketchy Hedge Funds Have Created A Conflict Crisis for Scalpers + Lawsuits Arising From The Ashes of Chicago's Pitchfork Festival
StubHub is facing one of the toughest stretches in its history—and this week, Decibel & Docket breaks down why. Veteran music business journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville are joined by entrepreneur and activist Randy Nichols to examine the latest controversy...
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Tsunami of Scandals Engulf Stubhub + California's Fight To Reign in Resale Prices Featuring Randy Nichols (Episode 25)
In this explosive episode of Decibel & Docket, Dave Brooks is joined by ticketing reform advocate Randy Nichols for a deep dive into one of the live entertainment industry’s most contentious battles: the war over ticket resale, speculative listings, and the powerful lobbying machine fighting to...
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Rapino in the White House: Did Trump Meeting Hurt Live Nation's Settlement Talks + Ticket Fraud Rising on Stubhub for World Cup Fans
This week on Decibel & Docket, veteran concert business reporter Dave Brooks speaks with Business Insider's Emily Stewart about an uptick in fraud at the World Cup. But first, Brooks and attorney Michael Seville dig into the most explosive filing yet in the Live Nation/Ticketmaster antitrust case...
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Did Lawyers Against Live Nation Get A $40M Antitrust Lawsuit Bounty For Prevailing Over Ticketmaster + Russell Simmons Can't Shake #MeToo Rape Case By Trying to Hide Out in Jakarta
In Episode 23 of Decibel & Docket, veteran music business journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville break down two major stories shaping the intersection of the music industry, antitrust law, and entertainment litigation. Once again the show turns to one of the most...
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Where Were The Artists in The Live Nation Case? (DOJ Postscript on Antitrust Case) + What's A-Peel-Ing About A Banana Costume At A Punk Show?
Who killed the artist testimony in the Live Nation antitrust trial? In Episode 22 of the Decibel & Docket podcast, veteran music business journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville break down a rare, candid conversation with the former DOJ lawyers who tried USA v. Live…
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What the F*** Is M.I.A. Telling Kid Cudi Fans? + Exposing the FIFA World Cup Bait And Switch
What happens after one of the biggest antitrust losses in music industry history? Is Live Nation buying time—or mounting a serious comeback? This week on Decibel & Docket, Dave Brooks and attorney Michael Seville break down the latest twist in the landmark Live Nation antitrust case, where a...
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All the Crazy S#!* Artists Are Saying About Trump's 'America 250' Concert + Live Nation Lawyers GET TESTY in Bid To Overturn Antitrust Ruling (Episode 20)
In Episode 20 of Decibel & Docket, veteran music journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville break down one of the wildest weeks yet at the intersection of the music business, live entertainment, politics and the legal system. The episode opens with a deep dive into the…
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Is the Live Nation Settlement CORRUPT AF + Patrick Ryan with Eventellect on What Sports Can Teach Live Music About Ticket Resale
The latest episode of the Decibel and Docket podcast dives deep into the escalating legal and political battle surrounding Live Nation Entertainment, Ticketmaster, the U.S. Department of Justice antitrust case, and the increasingly volatile intersection of live music, politics, ticketing, and...
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Live Nation BREAKUP LOOMS + Is the term SCALPER kind of RACIST + Should Prosecutors Be BANNED From Using RAP LYRICS
In this episode of the Decibel and Docket podcast, veteran music business journalist Dave Brooks and attorney Michael Seville tackle two of the most controversial issues shaping the live entertainment industry today: the future of Live Nation and Ticketmaster amid ongoing antitrust litigation…
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The Curious Case of Clavicular: How Much Trouble is the Looksmaxxing Influencer In? + Thomas Cussins On How Spotify Could Do More to Stop AI Piracy (Ep17)
The latest episode of the Decibel & Docket Podcast dives deep into the biggest stories shaping the live entertainment business, music industry economics, AI copyright battles, concert ticket pricing, influencer culture, and the future of streaming platforms. Hosted by veteran music journalist…
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Live Nation & Ticketmaster Breakup? Dave and Mike Talk About Antitrust Penalties Phase + California Lawmakers Weigh Ticket Resale Cap Crackdown (Ep16)
In this in-depth episode of the Decibel & Docket Podcast, veteran music journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville break down one of the most consequential moments in the modern concert industry: the jury verdict finding Live Nation liable for monopolistic practices. With…
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The Case For Breaking Up Live Nation & Ticketmaster, Cornell Lawyer Explains + Coachella's Lawyer Jason Bernstein Talks Practicing Law for AEG (EP 15)
Decibel & Docket Podcast: Live Nation Verdict, Antitrust Showdown & Coachella’s Legal Playbook In this episode of Decibel & Docket, host Dave Brooks delivers a deep dive into one of the most important legal battles shaping the modern live entertainment industry: the antitrust case against Live...
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Live Nation Verdict Aftermath w/ Randy Nichols + Bieberchella Hit By Stubhub's Fraudapalooza featuring Scott Friedman (EP14)
The latest episode of the Decibel & Docket podcast delivers a deep dive into one of the most consequential moments in the live music industry: the blockbuster Live Nation antitrust verdict and its ripple effects across ticketing, touring, and fan experience. Hosted by Dave Brooks, the episode...
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Inside The Kanye West Image Rehabilitation Plan + Live Nation Antitrust Case Goes To The Jury
The episode opens with a sharp, unfiltered discussion of Kanye West’s attempted comeback and the controversy surrounding it. Rather than accepting a simple apology tour, Brooks argues that real accountability would require Kanye to publicly disavow the figures and communities that have supported...
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BONUS EPISODE: In-depth Q&A with Andrew Dreskin, co-founder of Ticketfly and Ticketweb
Entrepreneur and technologist Andrew Dreskin sits down with the Decibel and Docket podcast to share his unique perspective of the live events business. Dreskin built the world's first online ticketing company, then waited a decade and built an even better one. Now, after selling to Pandora in…
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Nathaniel Marro from NITO Talks DOJ Settlement + Ticketfly Founder Andrew Dreskin On What He Told the DOJ During the Live Nation & Ticketmaster Merger
This podcast episode of the Decibel and Docket focuses on the Live Nation antitrust trial, featuring interviews with Nathaniel Morrow from the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) and Andrew Dreskin, founder of Ticketfly and TicketWeb. Dave Brooks hosts this solo episode while co-host...
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Ep. 11 || Why America Loves Seeing Afroman Do The Cops Dirty + How Chance and Pat's Divorce Got So Messy AND the $10M AI Streaming Music Crime Spree at Spotify
The latest episode of the Decibel and Docket Podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist Dave Brooks and attorney Michael Seville, explores major legal developments shaping the music industry, from a landmark Supreme Court ruling to high-profile artist disputes and emerging AI fraud cases. The...
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Ep. 10 || Rapino Prepares To Take the Stand in Live Nation Case + Bricc Baby Fed Drama
On this week's episode of the Decibel and Docket podcast, Mike and Dave discuss the upcoming testimony of CEO Michael Rapino from Live Nation and look at how states attorney Jeffrey Kessler is preparing to question the CEO for the historic antitrust trial. We also discuss the interview of Ben...
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SLACK SCANDAL! Randy Nichols Joins Dave to Break Down Live Nation 'Rob 'Em Blind' + Secret Rapino Hard Call Phone Call Recordings,
Are you not entertained? Dave Brooks records the third episode of the podcast THIS WEEK with guest host Randy Nichols to talk about the big, dumb SLACK messages from the Live Nation KNUCKLEHEADS that bragged about ripping off Kid Rock fans. HOW RUDE! Do these new messages hurt the case or will…
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Ep. 9 || Settlement Shocker: The Fight Shifts to the States after DOJ and Live Nation Announce Historic Truce
This week Mike Seville and Dave Brooks break down the shocking news that Live Nation and Ticketmaster are ending their two year long antitrust legal battle with the DOJ and have reached a tentative settlement in the monopoly case. The fight new moves into the hands of state AGs like North...
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BONUS EPISODE: SDNY Reporter Matthew Lee with Inner City Press Talks Live Nation / DOJ Settlement
For this special bonus episode of the Decibel and Docket podcast, Dave talks with Matthew Lee from Inner City Press about his tireless and dogged reporting of the Southern District of New York courthouse and the U.S. vs Live Nation trial. No reporter has done more to bring transparency to this…
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Ep. 8 | Has Live Nation Already Lost The DOJ Case? + 'Ticket Masters' Co-Author Dean Budnick Weighs In On Live Nation Courtroom Drama
Title: Inside the Live Nation Antitrust Trial: Unpacking the DOJ's Case Against TicketmasterIn this riveting episode of "Desible and Docket," hosts Dave Brooks and Michael Seville take listeners on an in-depth journey through the Department of Justice's high-stakes antitrust case against Live...
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Ep. 7 | Investigating the Missing Live Nation Legal Report
With just one week until the landmark USA vs. Live Nation antitrust trial begins, the concert giant files an emergency interlocutory appeal seeking to delay proceedings indefinitely. Touring expert Dave Brooks and lawyer Michael Seville break down Live Nation's desperate legal maneuvers, analyze...
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Ep. 6 | Randy Nichols Talks About Meeting With Top DOJ Brass, Understanding Recent Ruling in Antitrust Case
In this episode of Decibel and Docket, host Dave Brooks and guest Randy Nichols delve into ongoing antitrust case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. They discuss the intricacies of ticket scalping, the challenges of legislation, and the implications of monopolistic practices in the live...
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Breaking News: Durbin Talks Slater Exit Amid Live Nation Case
The conversation covers the breaking news of Gail Slater's departure and the concerns raised by Senators Durbin and Booker regarding antitrust issues and political interference with the Ticketmaster and Live Nation case. It delves into the impact of these concerns on enforcement decisions and the...
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Live Nation Close To Settling Antitrust Case? Plus Chaos At The Wasserman Agency Following The Epstein Scandal And Kat Leon From Holy Wars Talks Touring As An Indie Artist
In this episode of Decibel & Docket, hosts Dave Brooks and attorney Mike Seville break down the biggest legal, financial and cultural stories shaping the live entertainment business — from high-stakes antitrust negotiations involving Live Nation to the growing financial pressure on independent...
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Episode 4: The Plan to Scam Jeffrey Epstein + Drake Appeals "Not Like Us" + NIVA's fight for Milwaukee's Indie Venues
In this episode of Decibel & Docket, the music industry’s sharpest legal and business podcast dives into ticket scams, venue battles, and the latest chapter in the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar legal drama. Hosted by veteran music journalist Dave Brooks and attorney Mike Seville, the show explores the...
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Decibel & Docket, Episode 3: "We're All Smoking the Same Dope" Breaking Down Kid Rock's Wild Senate Hearing on Ticketmaster, Live Nation and Ticket Scalping
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…
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Decibel & Docket, Episode 2: AXS vs High Tech Scalpers and AI app UDIO Settles with Merlin
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...
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Decibel & Docket Episode 1
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…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Decibel and Docket is a podcast at the intersection of the music business, live entertainment and the justice system. Hosted by veteran entertainment journalist Dave Brooks and attorney Mike Seville, this weekly podcast examines major legal stories and headlines affecting artists, content creators and the business of culture.
HOSTED BY
Dave Brooks
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Decibel and Docket have?
Decibel and Docket currently has 40 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Decibel and Docket about?
Decibel and Docket is a podcast at the intersection of the music business, live entertainment and the justice system. Hosted by veteran entertainment journalist Dave Brooks and attorney Mike Seville, this weekly podcast examines major legal stories and headlines affecting artists, content creators...
How often does Decibel and Docket release new episodes?
Decibel and Docket has 40 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Decibel and Docket?
You can listen to Decibel and Docket on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Decibel and Docket?
Decibel and Docket is created and hosted by Dave Brooks.
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