What it does
Live Nation is an event discovery and ticketing platform for concert fans. The app serves as a mobile hub to find upcoming shows, browse events by artist, venue, or festival, and purchase tickets directly. A standout feature is the 'Timeline,' which allows users to create a digital diary of all the concerts they have attended, complete with options to add photos and generate shareable video summaries.
Where it shines
Live Nation excels at creating an experience that feels tailored from the very beginning. The mandatory, multi-stage personalization flow (02:15 - 03:04) ensures the home screen is immediately relevant. However, the app's most compelling feature is the Timeline (09:27). By allowing users to log their entire concert history, it transforms a simple utility app into a personal archive, a powerful tool for engagement and retention.
UX highlights
- Structured Personalization: The onboarding doesn't just ask for favorites; it separates the task into Artists, Festivals, and Venues, making the process feel both comprehensive and digestible.
- Transparent Information: Before showing ticket prices, the app displays a 'What You Need To Know' modal (04:15) to set expectations about all-in pricing and venue-specific rules.
- Clear Navigation Tabs: The main screen uses simple 'Events', 'Venues', and 'Artists' tabs (03:24), allowing users to easily switch their discovery mode based on how they plan.
- Actionable Search Results: Searching for an artist (07:40) returns not just a profile, but also a direct list of upcoming events, reducing the number of taps needed to find tickets.
- Interactive Seating Maps: The ticket purchasing flow includes an interactive map (04:24) that allows users to visualize sections, with an option to switch back to a list view for clarity.
- Contextual Modals: When an artist is favorited, a small, unobtrusive modal confirms the action (07:48), providing clear feedback without interrupting the user's flow.
Monetization & growth
The app's primary monetization is through ticket sales, which are powered by Ticketmaster. The checkout flow (05:28) effectively presents several upsell opportunities. These include ticket packages with VIP access, premium parking options, and event ticket insurance. Each is presented as an optional add-on, giving users control over the final cost. The 'Timeline' feature also serves as a potent growth loop; the 'Year in Live' videos (11:13) are designed to be shared on social media, acting as organic marketing for the app.
Who it’s for
Live Nation is clearly designed for active concert-goers and dedicated music fans. It caters to users who attend multiple shows a year and want a centralized place to manage their live event schedule. The Timeline feature specifically targets fans who take pride in their concert history and enjoy reminiscing or sharing their experiences. It's less for the casual, one-off ticket buyer and more for the enthusiast who views live music as a key part of their identity.
Notes & opportunities
The account creation process is a significant point of friction. It redirects to a lengthy Ticketmaster web view (00:35) and requires two separate two-factor authentication steps (email and phone). Streamlining this into a native, faster flow could reduce user drop-off. Additionally, while the Timeline is powerful, the process of manually adding past concerts could be tedious. Integrating with music streaming services or past ticket purchase history could automate this process, making the feature instantly valuable.