Pearl Jam is the exception.

The Seattle quintet proved to the corporate-rock establishment that musicians can make a difference when it stood up for it's fans and took on the world's largest ticket company. In a civil complaint filed with the U.S. Justice Department in May, Pearl Jam charged that Ticketmaster is a monopoly that prevented the group from staging a low-price summer tour. The Los Angeles-based ticket giant, which has dominated the ticket market since 1991, vehamantly denies the allegations.

Pearl Jam's action triggered a federal antitrust probe of the ticket distribution industry that legal analysts say could bring about big changes in the controversial arrangements among venue owners, promoters, and service companies that underlie pricing decisions.

Antitrust experts doubt that the government will try to break up Ticketmaster, but speculate that severe restrictions could be imposed on the exclusive relationships between venues and service firms. Such action could stimulate competition in the service sector and possibly reduce prices for consumers.

Pearl Jam's battle over the way tickets are sold not only spawned two congressional hearings on Capitol Hill, it spurred U.S. Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), the mighty chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, to introduce a bill requiring ticket distributors to disclose the fees they add to the price of each ticket. If passed Dingell's proposal would mark the first nationwide regulation of ticket distribution, and put transactions conducted by firms such as Ticketmaster under the purview of the Federal Trade Commission. The legislation would address concerns about concert ticket sales raised recently by consumers. These would include complaints about tickets for this summer's Eagles concerts, for which service fees were not disclosed to ticket buyers.

While it's too early to predict what the Justice Department will do, the band's uncompromising stance has already drawn praise from the White House and provided angry concert fans with several powerful allies in Congress. Strange bedfellows, perhaps, but potentially a potent antidote to the stranglehold Ticketmaster appears to enjoy.