Live Nation is the largest producer of live concerts in the world, and according to TicketNews’s exclusive industry rankings, the company is the fifth-largest overall ticket seller in the country.

The company describes its core business as “producing, marketing and selling live concerts for artists via our global concert pipe.” But in early 2009, the company also added a state-of-the-art ticketing operation following its split from long-time client Ticketmaster Entertainment. Live Nation sells more than 45 million concert tickets a year, and its Web site, LiveNation.com, generates more than 60 million unique visits annually. To launch its ticketing operation, the company signed deals with CTS Eventim and SMG, among others.

Live Nation has signed several major acts, including Madonna, Jay-Z and Shakira and U2 to expansive “360-degree deals” that encompass concerts, recording, merchandising and licensing. The produces more than 16,000 concerts annually in 57 countries throughout the world, and it has a roster of more than 1,500 artists for which it produces shows.

The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, and its stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “LYV.”