As wildfires across Los Angeles rage on, the global music industry continues to grapple with the devastating crisis.

The 67th annual Grammy Awards, set for 2 February at Ingelwood’s Crypto.com Arena (cap. 20,000), is still projected to go on.

“This year’s show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honouring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours,” said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.

Yet, Universal Music Group (UMG) has cancelled all Grammy-related events, and will instead “redirect the resources that would have been used for those events to assist those affected by the wildfires,” the firm wrote. UMG historically coordinates an artist showcase and awards after-party around the event.

“L.A. is home to so many of us. We are committed to helping and supporting the music community, our artists, our teams and the people of Los Angeles get through this horrific episode.”

After donating $2.5 million in relief efforts yesterday, Beyoncé has postponed today’s rumoured tour announcement.

“I will continue to pray for healing and rebuilding for the families suffering from trauma and loss. We are so blessed to have brave first responders who continue to work tirelessly to protect the Los Angeles community,” she says.

“My focus remains on supporting the recovery of these communities and aiding its incredible people as they rebuild”

The Weeknd has postponed the release of his new album Hurry Up Tomorrow by one week to 31 January and cancelled a one-off show at the Rose Bowl Stadium (89,702) on 25 January.

“This city has always been a profound source of inspiration for me, and my thoughts are with everyone impacted during this difficult time … My focus remains on supporting the recovery of these communities and aiding its incredible people as they rebuild,” he says.

Donations have been pouring in to aid in the city’s recovery. Sony Corporation will donate $5m in emergency aid and rebuilding efforts, while AEG donated $1m as part of a greater $8m package from 12 professional sports teams.

Metallica, through its All Within My Hands Foundation, has donated $500,000 to various funds supporting recovery efforts.

“In the past week, the community has suffered at least 24 lives lost, nearly 100,000 people under evacuation orders, 40,000 acres burned, and more than 12,000 structures—commercial and residential—destroyed. However, numbers cannot articulate the magnitude of anguish as the disaster upends families and dismantles livelihoods,” the band wrote online.

Other organisations are staging benefit events. Independent promoter Another Planet Entertainment has partnered with IHEARTCOMIX, Brownies & Lemonade and Teragram to present LA Gives Back: Fire Relief at The Bellwether (1,600). The 7th edition of the event, which is set to feature multiple stages, will see 100% of the funds raised go to charity.

“Los Angeles is home to a vibrant independent creative community – we’re proud to open our stage in support of our neighbours who lost everything in this disaster,” says Casey Lowdermilk, The Bellwether general manager.

FireAid, organised by Live Nation, AEG Presents and the Azoff family, will precede the Grammys on 30 January at the neighbouring Intuit Dome (18,000). Performers are expected to be announced in the coming days.

“We are devastated by the impact of the fires in our community and are grieving alongside our city”

Dance music promoter Insomniac Events announced a series of benefit events with “100% of the net proceeds [going] directly to assist those in need.” Details will be announced this week.

Even still, show disruptions are rife. Young The Giant’s two The Troubadour (500) shows, set to celebrate their debut self-titled album and 10 years of their sophomore Mind Over Matter, have been pushed to 4-5 September.

“We are devastated by the impact of the fires in our community and are grieving alongside our city. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the first responders and emergency personnel working tirelessly to protect lives and contain fires,” the band wrote.

The blazes have ripped through more than 40,000 acres since igniting last week, causing more than 150,000 people to evacuate and burning 12,000 structures, according to NPR. At least 24 people have been killed, with the cause of the widespread fires’ initial spark currently unknown.

The economic damage could top $50 billion and may rank as one of the most costly natural disasters in US history, according to the Los Angeles Times.

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A series of events have been cancelled or postponed as Los Angeles grapples with widespread wildfires.

Five major wildfires continue to burn across LA, fuelled by strong winds, becoming “the most destructive ever to hit Los Angeles County,” reports CNN. At least five people have been killed, with more than 100,000 residents ordered to evacuate.

LA radio station ALT 98.7 has cancelled the iHeartRadio ALTer EGO festival, which was set to return to Inglewood’s Kia Forum (cap. 17,505) on Saturday, 11 January.

Incubus, The Lumineers, Cage The Elephant, Glass Animals, The Offspring, St. Vincent, Fontaines D.C., The Head and the Heart, and Damiano David were all set to perform.

“It is with heavy hearts that we report that we will be cancelling our ALTer Ego show this Saturday at the KIA Forum. The devastation from the fires is beyond comprehension. Our thoughts are with the Los Angeles community and listeners who have been affected by this tragedy. We also want to recognize and thank all the first responders. We love our city and are putting health and safety first,” the organisers wrote online.

Inglewood’s newest venue, the 18,000-capacity Intiut Dome, also cancelled a show with rapper Rod Wave last night (Wednesday).

“The health and safety of our fans and employees will remain the top priority,” wrote arena representatives.

“Our hearts are with all the members of our community who are impacted by the fires”

Two major festivals have also postponed ticket sales for their upcoming events. Both Rolling Loud, which recently downsized to 15-16 March at Inglewood’s Hollywood Park (75,000), and electronic dance festival Beyond Wonderland, scheduled for 28-29 March at San Bernardino’s NOS Event Center (65,000), have delayed sales until further notice.

In addition to large-scale shows, theatre-level performances have also been rearranged.

The LA Philharmonic Orchestra has postponed or cancelled all shows through the weekend, pushing pianist Igor Levit and singer-songwriter Cody Fry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall (2,265) performances to a later date. Three orchestral performances featuring works from Schumann & Brahms have been cancelled.

“Our hearts are with all the members of our community who are impacted by the fires, and our immense gratitude goes out to all the firefighters and first responders. Please stay safe,” says the LA Phil in their cancellation.

Other iconic venues like The Hollywood Palladium (4,000), The Fonda Theatre (1,200), and The Roxy Theatre (500) all have programming through the weekend that has not been publicly cancelled, while other spaces like The Hollywood Bowl (17,500), The Greek Theatre (5,900), and the El Rey Theatre (771) have no performances set for the near future.

While SoFi Stadium (70,000) has no music-related events, the NFL announced a playoff game set for next Monday will go on, with a contingency plan to move the matchup to Arizona’s State Farm Stadium (63,400) in place. Crypto.com Arena (20,000) is also rescheduling basketball games.

Thousands of acres and hundreds of homes have been destroyed since the blaze began on Tuesday, which is rapidly growing as a result of “dry, hurricane-force winds”, per Reuters. Fires continue to burn across the Palisades, Hollywood Hills, Pasadena, San Fernando Valley, and the Angeles National Forest.

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Rolling Loud’s 2025 Los Angeles edition has been condensed into a two-day format, with ticket prices slashed.

Organisers of the world’s largest hip-hop festival initially went on sale with a three-day edition for 2025, set for 14-16 March.

Now, they’ve announced a “new era” for the 75,000-capacity event, cutting a whole day of programming and restaging the festival for 15-16 March at Inglewood’s Hollywood Park.

Weekend general admission ticket prices have dropped from US$399 in 2024 to $179, a 55.1% reduction in full-festival costs. Broken down, the daily cost fell by 32.7% from $133 per day last year to $89.50.

The Rolling Loud brand, which launched in Miami in 2015, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Over its first decade, the franchise has staged editions across the US, Europe, and Asia, with 2024 editions in Pattaya, Thailand; Vienna, Austria; LA, and Miami.

Performers for the LA edition are expected to be announced this week. Last year’s headliners include Ty Dolla $ign and Kanye West (aka ¥$), Post Malone, and Future x Metro Boomin.

On the East Coast, Boston Calling has also reduced ticket prices alongside the release of its 2025 lineup, amid backlash for overcrowding at last year’s event.

GA weekend ticket prices decreased over 8.6% on last year’s price from $383 last year to $350 all-in for 2025. One-day passes fell 10.5% from $189 to $169, and a two-day option has been introduced for $330.

The multi-day US event will return on 23-25 May at Harvard Athletic Complex, headlined by Luke Combs, Fall Out Boy and the Dave Matthews Band. Other acts featured include Megan Moroney, Sheryl Crow, T-Pain, Avril Lavigne, Cage The Elephant, Vampire Weekend, and Sublime.

Tumbling ticket prices for these festivals go against the trend of rising Euro festival ticket costs

Organisers plan to combine its existing two stages into a singular ‘rotating stage system’ to optimise space for attendees. During its 13th edition, festivalgoers described “unsafe” overcrowding conditions on the final day of the festival, leading to an onslaught of medical emergencies partly due to high temperatures.

Roughly 40,000 people descended on the festival’s sold-out final day, which featured back-to-back performances from Chappell Roan, Megan Thee Stallion, Hozier, and The Killers. The number reportedly doubled the estimated 16,000 people who attended the day prior.

In addition to the changes in staging, organisers will implement an indoor air-conditioned arena — with special indoor programming to be announced — along with expanded access to water stations.

First staged in 2013, the festival is produced by Boston Calling Events, part-owned by local Crash Line Productions and Austin-based C3 Presents. The festival is co-curated by Aaron Dessner of The National.

Tumbling ticket prices for these US festivals go against the average trend of 5% year-on-year increases across European festivals between 2024 and 2025.

“Unfortunately, we see rising supplier costs and the effects of global (and especially local) inflation. It is something we have to deal with when calculating ticket prices,” said Tamás Kádár, CEO of Sziget, at the time.

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WME parent company Endeavor posted a significant loss for the third fiscal quarter of 2024 but saw revenue gains driven by its talent representation and live sports businesses.

The Los Angeles-based sports and entertainment giant reported revenue of $2.03 billion for Q3, as well as a net loss of $420.4 million – nearly three times larger than the same period last year.

The representation segment was up 11% to $429.2m, attributed to growth in WME’s talent and music businesses and “the continued consumer demand for live music”. This increase was partially offset by decreases in the nonscripted content production business.

WME’s roster includes Justin Timberlake, Adele, Bruno Mars, Pearl Jam, The Killers, Bjork, Foo Fighters, Stormzy, St Vincent, Shakira and Snoop Dogg among others.

The owned-sports segment — which includes TKO, the parent company of wrestling giant WWE and MMA leader UFC, along with Professional Bull Riders, which will soon be sold to TKO — increased revenue by 53% to $735.2m.

“Our owned sports and representation segments delivered solid results driven by continued consumer demand for live events and content”

The events, experiences and rights segment surged to $899.8m (a 145% year-over-year increase) due to On Location’s hospitality business at the Paris Olympics.

“During the quarter, our owned sports and representation segments delivered solid results driven by continued consumer demand for live events and content,” says Ariel Emanuel, CEO, Endeavor. “As we work toward the close of our take-private transaction with Silver Lake, we remain focused on delivering for our clients, partners, and shareholders, maintaining momentum throughout our business, and completing the sale of PBR, On Location and IMG to TKO.”

In April this year, it was announced that Endeavor would be acquired by majority shareholder Silver Lake in a deal valued at $13 billion. The Silicon Valley-based private equity company plans to take Endeavor private next year, as the firm sheds assets.

In October, Endeavor announced an agreement with TKO to acquire Professional Bull Riders, On Location, and event management, digital services, consulting and media rights company IMG in an all-equity transaction valued at $3.25 billion. The deal will increase Endeavor’s stake in TKO by 6% to 59%.

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Krazy Super Concert 2024 in Los Angeles has been postponed due to “the incoming heavy rains across the Southern California region”.

The K-pop mega concert was set to take place on 9 and 10 February at the BMO Stadium (cap. 22,000) in Los Angeles.

However, California has been drenched with heavy rain as back-to-back atmospheric rivers slammed the West Coast, raising the threat of flash floods and landslides.

Krazy Super Concert was to include performances from K-pop girl groups aespa and (G)I-DLE, along with boybands THE BOYZ and ZEROBASEONE on both days of the event.

Joining them on the first day would have been CL and The Kid Laroi. Day two would have also featured Taeyang, Lauv and AB6IX.

“This difficult decision was made out of an abundance of caution and concern”

The LA edition would have been the second Krazy concert to be held, following the inaugural Krazy K-pop Super Concert 2023 in New York.

“This difficult decision was made out of an abundance of caution and concern for the comfort and safety of our audience, artists and staff,” reads a statement on the official BMO Stadium website. “A new date will be announced soon,” the statement continued, adding that “all tickets will be honoured for the new date”.

The ‘Pineapple Express‘ made landfall on Wednesday, causing heavy mountain snow, gusty winds and rockslides in northern California. San Diego County was under flood advisory throughout Friday morning as the storm spread across the southern part of the stae.

The second storm in the series will arrive in California over the weekend and has the potential to be much stronger, according to reports.

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Latin music festival Besame Mucho is expanding to a second US city after a successful debut in Los Angeles.

The first edition, organised by Tropicália and La Tocada, took place in December 2022 at Dodger Stadium, LA, with a diverse lineup of Latin acts.

The LA debut and its second edition, due this December, are said to have sold out in minutes.

Capitalising on that success, Besame Mucho (Kiss Me A Lot) will launch on 2 March 2024 at the Circuit of the Americas racetrack in Austin, Texas.

The debut will see 60+ acts perform across four stages, including Los Tigres del Norte, Banda MS, Grupo Frontera, La Ley, Caifanes, El Tri, Alejandra Guzmán, Gloria Trevi, Café Tacvba and Molotov.

The debut will see 60+ acts perform across four stages, including Los Tigres del Norte, Banda MS and Grupo Frontera

Las Clasicas Stage, which will close with Los Tigres, is dedicated to the classics and will feature 30 groups, including Grupo Frontera, Bronco, Los Tucanes De Tijuana, Ramón Ayala and Alicia Villareal.

The Banda Stage will have performances from Banda El Recodo, La Adictiva, Banda Los Recoditos, Banda Machos, Cuisillos and more, and the Rockero Stage will feature a number of notable rock bands, including Cafe Tacvba, Juanes, El Tri, Maldita Vecindad, Panteón Rococo and Hombres G.

Along with Trevi, Alejandra Guzmán, Belanova, Reik, Sin Bandera and Ha*Ash are among the 18 acts to perform on the Te Gusta El Pop? Stage.

Presale for Besame Mucho Austin starts on 3 November, with ticket prices ranging between $275 for general admission and $950 for platinum.

The second edition of Besame Mucho LA will return to Dodger Stadium on 2 December and includes some of the same artists scheduled for Austin.

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WME has announced seven partner promotions and 17 agent promotions in its music division.

The seven agents promoted to partner are Cristina Baxter, Michael Coughlin, Ryan Jones, Richard Lom, Ben Schiffer, Peter Schwartz and Sam Wald.

Baxter and Schiffer are based in Los Angeles, Coughlin and Jones are based in Nashville, Lom and Schwartz are based in New York and Sam Wald is based in Sydney.

The 14 individuals promoted to agent include Tor Breon, Joe Friel, Allie Galyon, Noah Guthman, Andy Mack, Jordan Meisles, Tim Meldman, Michael Montante, Fernando Montes, Rico Pedraza, Jessica Phillips, Jesse Robbins, Brett Schaffer, Grace Stern, Mary-Michael Teel, Austin Tobias and Ian Wilkerson.

“These promotions all reflect the future of the music industry, and we are so proud of the continued creativity each of these individuals has demonstrated, both internally and on behalf of our clients,” say Lucy Dickins and Kirk Sommer, co-heads of WME’s music division. “Their out-of-the-box thinking, passion for artists and commitment to excellence set our group apart.”

Baxter joined the WME music department as an assistant in 2011. Her clients include Kygo, Miley Cyrus, Carly Rae Jepsen, Sofi Tukker, Kali Uchis and Ashnikko, among others.

“These promotions all reflect the future of the music industry”

Coughlin’s roster crosses multiple genres, including Lewis Capaldi, King Princess, Dean Lewis, The Revivalists, Ashnikko, Eric Nam and Inhaler.

Following his tenure in the non-traditional touring and adult contemporary department, Jones has led the private and corporate department since 2017.

With a focus on Latin music, Lom has developed his roster that includes J Balvin, Farruko, Caifanes, Cazzu, Juanes, Daddy Yankee, Bomba Estereo, Natti Natasha, Vicente Garcia, Cornetto and Agudelo888.

Schiffer works alongside his teammates with some of the most critically-acclaimed and award-winning artists today including Sheryl Crow, Olivia Rodrigo, Andy Grammer, Laura Marling, Keb’ Mo’ and Yebba, among others.

Schwartz is a veteran agent, representing AJR, Macklemore, Olivia Rodrigo, 24KGoldn, Lucky Daye, Aminé, Ferg and Joey BadA$$, among others.

Wald’s clients include Gang of Youths, Orville Peck, Sofi Tukker, Porter Robinson, Fatboy Slim, AJR, ZHU, Cordae, Earl Sweatshirt, Polo & Pan, TOKiMONSTA, Madeon, Alok, Channel Tres, JPEGMafia, Black Coffee and UMI, among others.

These promotions follow several recent new hires at WME, including Zach Iser and Caroline Yim who were brought in as co-heads of hip-hop/R&B from CAA, Craig D’Souza (international contemporary), Andy Duggan (international festivals) and Whitney Boateng (hip-hop and R&B), Dru Bass (crossover), Bailey Greenwood (electronic music), Dana Jeter (hip-hop and R&B) and Randall Uritsky (domestic festivals).

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AEG Presents has appointed Brett Williams as senior vice president of global touring and talent.

Williams joins AEG Presents after more than 15 years at Los Angeles-based management company Monotone, Inc., where he most recently served as general manager.

His responsibilities at AEG Presents will include identifying, signing, and booking talent for the company’s global touring and talent division, according to a press release.

“Brett brings an incredible breadth of knowledge and experience to the position”

“Brett brings an incredible breadth of knowledge and experience to the position,” commented Gary Gersh, AEG Presents president of global touring and talent, to whom Williams reports. “His management background, keen eye for spotting and developing talent, and superb artist relations skills are perfectly aligned with our core strategy. I’m thrilled he’s joining the team.”

During his tenure at Monotone, Williams worked with artists including LCD Soundsystem, The Chicks, Foster the People, Cold War Kids, Miike Snow, Dirty Projectors, BANKS, Ratatat, Still Woozy, Empress Of and Briston Maroney.

He also helped the company grow its roster from four clients to more than 20 while expanding the staff from six to 20-plus employees.

“I’m thrilled to be joining such a well-respected and innovative company, and look forward to working with Gary and the entire global touring and talent team, who are best in class,” Williams. “I started my career in music because of my obsession with artists, and the company’s mission mirrors my own — namely, to build, support, and serve world-class artists and their vision.”

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CAA has announced that it will relocate to a new larger space in 2026 to accommodate the company’s “tremendous growth”.

The agency will move across from its current offices on Avenue of the Stars in Century City, Los Angeles, which it has called home since 2007.

Its new home will be JMB Realty’s 37-story, state-of the-art commercial tower on Constellation Boulevard, which is yet to be built.

The upcoming expansion comes a few months after CAA announced its acquisition of ICM Partners, targeted to close in the second quarter of this year.

At that time, CAA chairman Richard Lovett told The Hollywood Reporter that, when combined, the companies “are all going to be in one location together as soon as time allows for that to be.”

“Today’s news underscores the energy and momentum of CAA and the tremendous growth we’re experiencing”

ICM’s headquarters since 2016 is around the corner at 10250 Constellation Boulevard.

“[This] news underscores the energy and momentum of CAA and the tremendous growth we’re experiencing across our businesses,” said CAA co-chairman Richard Lovett in a statement.

“We’re designing a home for the future here in Los Angeles that captures the imagination, inspiration and creativity that’s fundamental to the work we do, and that continues to drive our success for clients. We’re guided by our focus on personal connection, a deeply rooted culture of collaboration, and a desire to create the most welcoming and exciting environment for our employees, clients and the creative community.”

CAA’s future home features two acres of gardens and courtyards and is designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification – the highest rating from the US Green Building Council. CAA will have its own entrance, lobby and parking areas.

In addition, CAA employees will have easy access to the upcoming Constellation/Century City Metro station.

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UTA has named Lindsay Wagner as chief diversity officer, tasked with “expanding and driving innovative strategy for the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives”.

In the newly created position, Wagner will be responsible for a series of internal initiatives such as raising pay for entry-level positions, unconscious bias training for all employees and promoting senior agents of colour to the UTA Board and Partnership.

Based in Los Angeles, Wagner will report jointly to UTA’s CEO Jeremy Zimmer and partner & chief people officer Jean-Rene Zetrenne.

“As UTA grows, we must continue to cultivate a more diverse, multifaceted and inclusive culture,” says Zimmer. “Lindsay has a proven track record of pushing the envelope and leading with a fresh and unique perspective. I am confident that she will bring ingenuity to this new role and will be a great steward for the cause.”

“Lindsay has a proven track record of pushing the envelope and leading with a fresh and unique perspective”

Wagner added: “Entertainment sits at the cross-section of culture, storytelling and influence and therefore it’s critical that we collectively continue to identify and amplify authentic representation inside and outside of the organisation.

“I am honoured to join UTA and contribute to this purpose-led team focused on building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community and industry now and for generations to come.”

Prior to joining UTA, Wagner served as SVP and head of diversity, equity & inclusion, North America at the global communications consulting firm, Ketchum.

Wagner continues to serve as a jury member for The ADCOLOR Awards, a strategic advisor for Kindred Space LA, an advisor for Sovern, an advisory board member for The Lantern Network and a member of Justice League NYC & CA.

As part of the Justice League NYC team, she shared in the honour of receiving the distinguished Chairman’s Award from the NAACP Image Awards. She also earned the Pat Tobin Award from the Black Public Relations Society of Los Angeles.

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