Live Music's $20 Billion Year, Indie Promoters Outpaced the Industry at Large in 2014, and More in This Week's Touring Digest

TOP STORIES Live Music's $20 Billion Year: Rolling Stones, One Direction, Live Nation Top Boxscore's Year-End  Attendance is down, but spectacular ticket sales by One Direction, The Rolling Stones and Justin Timberlake, plus a series of blockbuster stadium shows, propelled the North American concert industry to a record 2014. In the Face of Giants, Indie Concert Promoters Outpaced the Industry at Large This Year  Some 20 years after industry consolidation was supposed to wipe independent promoters off the map, these stubborn, savvy and fiercely autonomous operators have managed to outpace the industry at large, according to end-of-year Billboard Boxscore data. Firefly Producers Announce New Big Barrel Country Fest, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Loretta Lynn to Play  Red Frog Events, the producers of the Firefly Festival, announce today the launch of the Big Barrel Country Music Festival on June 26-28 in Dover, Delaware. CAA Signs Latin Music Label Fania Records  The iconic brand is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Refurbished L.A. Forum Off to Strong Start in First Year Back in Action  Irving Azoff's pet venue has its Southern California competition paying attention. Eaux Claires Music Festival, Curated by Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner, Announced for Summer 2015  Just before Halloween this year, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver (a.k.a. Bonnie Bear), received approval to host the Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival in his hometown of Eau Claire, Wisc. from July 17-18. Nightclub Company Hakkasan to Buy The Light Group in $36 Million Deal  One purveyor of swanky Las Vegas Strip nightlife is buying another in a $36 million deal announced Tuesday. Iggy Azalea to Headline Billboard's Winterfest at Park City Live  Iggy Azalea will headline Billboard's first ever musical festival -- Billboard Winterfest -- at Park City, Utah’s premier music venue, Park City Live, joining Skrillex as one the chart-topping acts. BandPage Touts Big Sales Metrics for Artists' Merch  BandPage has announced a few large metrics today, over a year after signing key deals with Spotify, iHeartMedia and a notable funding round. The Country Music Industry in 2014: Garth's Return, Taylor's Exit  With country music at a peak in popularity, the comings and goings in the format seemed more crucial than ever. And there were plenty -- Garth Brooks came back, George Strait decided it was time to go, two guys from a different era came out, and a few stars chose to go out. On the road. In stadiums.