The Wiltern in Los Angeles

The Wiltern in Los Angeles

Photo Courtesy of Live Nation

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Live Nation Looking To Convert More Than 100 Venues Into Polling Places

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The plan is part of Live Nation's newly announced, wide-spanning initiative aimed at increasing civic engagement and supporting voting access in the upcoming 2020 elections
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Sep 16, 2020 - 10:38 am

Live Nation, the world's largest concert promoter, has announced a voting and civic engagement initiative that's aiming to convert more than 100 of the entertainment company's nationwide venues into polling places, a company representative unveiled Wednesday (Sept. 16). 

The global entertainment company is currently working with local officials across the U.S. "to examine the feasibility" of using the Live-Nation-owned venues as polling places, a press release notes. 

Currently, the company has confirmed four of its properties as polling sites in their respective jurisdictions: The Wiltern and Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, Emo's in Austin and The Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta. Philadelphia's The Fillmore is in the "final stages of the vetting process," according to the press release. 

Read: Capturing Los Angeles' COVID-Closed Venues

The plan is part of Live Nation's newly announced, wide-spanning initiative aimed at increasing civic engagement and supporting voting access in the upcoming 2020 elections. The initiative also includes benefits for Live Nation employees, including paid time off to vote on Election Day. 

The company, in partnership with poll worker recruitment initiative Power The Polls, is also providing active employees with a full day of paid time off to serve at the polls in an effort to address the national shortage of poll workers caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

To support the wider initiative, Live Nation is partnering with multiple organizations, including: More Than A Vote, a coalition of Black athletes and artists "combating systemic, racist voter suppression," according to the nonprofit's Facebook page; Civic Alliance, "a non-partisan group of businesses working together to build a future where everyone participates in shaping our country," according to the organization's website; and HeadCount, a "non-partisan organization that uses the power of music to register voters and promote participation in democracy," according to its website. 

"Core to what we do at Live Nation is helping amplify voices on stage around the world, and supporting voting is another important way we want to continue making voices heard," Live Nation President and CEO Michael Rapino said in a statement. "We're honored to work with such incredible partners and will do everything in our power to support and empower voter engagement among our employees and the public."

Soul Clap Wants You To Rave The Vote This 2020 Election

(L to R) Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck of R.E.M.

(L to R) Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck of R.E.M.

Photo: Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images

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R.E.M., Hayley Williams, Tegan And Sara, My Morning Jacket, Phoebe Bridgers And More Contribute Unreleased Recordings To All-Star Compilation Benefiting Voter Rights

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The 40-track compilation, available exclusively on Bandcamp for 24 hours only starting Friday (Sept. 4), will benefit voter rights organization Fair Fight
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Sep 4, 2020 - 11:16 am

R.E.M., Hayley Williams, Tegan And Sara, My Morning Jacket, Phoebe Bridgers and many others have contributed unreleased recordings to Good Music To Avert The Collapse Of American Democracy, a newly released all-star compilation benefitting Fair Fight, a voter rights organization founded by former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams that "promotes fair elections around the country through voter education, election reform, and combating voter suppression," according to a press release announcing the album. 

The 40-track compilation, which features never-before-heard new songs, covers, remixes, live versions and unreleased demos, is available exclusively on Bandcamp for 24 hours only starting Friday (Sept. 4) as part of the online streaming platform's Bandcamp Fridays initiative.

See the full track list and artist roster below.

Highlights from the Good Music compilation include a newly discovered Beverly Glenn-Copeland song from 1977; a cover of U.K. experimental rock band Broadcast by Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams; a demo collaboration in progress between Death Cab For Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard and Tycho; and a cover of The Cure's '80s classic "In Between Days" by The National leader Matt Berninger. Other artists featured on the compilation include Flume with Eprom, Sudan Archives, Helado Negro, Jeff Tweedy, Sharon Van Etten and many others. 

Read: How Bandcamp's Fee Waiver Days Are Supporting Musicians In The Pandemic 

Author Dave Eggers, along with artist managers Jordan Kurland, Darius Zelkha, Christian Stavros and Barsuk Records label head Josh Rosenfeld, executive-produced the compilation; Good Music marks the fourth fundraising project around a presidential election from Eggers and Kurland. 

Acclaimed street artist and fashion entrepreneur Shepard Fairey created the compilation's cover art. Bandcamp is also selling limited-edition signed screen-prints of the artwork; proceeds from the sale will benefit Color Of Change, the nation's largest online racial justice organization.

Read: The Recording Academy & Color Of Change Team Up To Promote Positive Change In The Music Industry 

"It's going to come down to bringing out and protecting the vote this fall, so the work Fair Fight does is crucial," Eggers said in the press release. "Jordan and I figured a painless way to raise some money would be to ask musicians to donate unreleased tracks, people pay a few bucks for them, and maybe we can edge toward a functioning democracy again."

"As in our previous election-based projects, Dave and I were looking for a relatively simple platform for artists to get involved in the political process," Kurland added. "Seeing how impactful Bandcamp Fridays have become, we felt this was the perfect way to create urgency by releasing new music from a collection of amazing artists for a very short window of time."

Soul Clap Wants You To Rave The Vote This 2020 Election

Tamika Mallory

Tamika Mallory

Photo: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

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Tamika Mallory To Host Pull Up & Vote Party Livestream Featuring Barack Obama, Questlove & More

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The star-studded online party will feature a DJ set from Questlove and conversations on important issues surrounding the 2020 Presidential Election ballots
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 19, 2020 - 2:12 pm

Tomorrow, Tues., Oct. 20, Complex is throwing a "Pull Up & Vote Party" livestream hosted by activist and Women's March co-founder Tamika Mallory. The 90-minute virtual voter engagement event will feature appearances from Barack Obama and artists A$AP Ferg, Jack Harlow, Chloe x Halle and SAINt JHN. Questlove will keep things groovy with a DJ set.

As Complex explains, "the event serves as a celebration of the importance of participating in the upcoming election while firmly understanding the variety of issues that could shape American life for years to come." It is part of their 2020 Pull Up & Vote voting campaign—the website has resources to check registration, vote by mail, find a polling place and more.

"They said they wanted a revolutionary to have a seat at the table so I'm pulling up," Mallory wrote in her Instagram post about the event.

Read: Soul Clap Wants You To Rave The Vote This 2020 Election

Former President Obama also spoke about Pull Up & Vote, as well as the vital importance of civic engagement, via Complex:

"One of the most inspiring things about this year has been to see so many young Americans fired up, organizing, marching and fighting for change. In times as polarized as these, your vote doesn't just matter, it matters more than ever before… Participate and vote; it's not always pretty—trust me, I know—but it's how bit by bit, we've made progress over the generations."

You can catch the Pull Up & Vote Party live on Oct. 20 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT on Complex's channels on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and the Pull Up & Vote site.

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P!nk

P!nk

Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

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"A Vote Is A Voice. A Voice Is Power:" Sony Music Launches New Artist-Supported Voting Campaign

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The initiative features Sony musicians encouraging eligible U.S. voters to make their voice heard in the 2020 Presidential Election
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 13, 2020 - 1:38 pm

Today, Oct. 13, 20 days until the 2020 Presidential Election, Sony Music launched the "Your Voice, Your Power, Your Vote" bipartisan voting initiative to encourage civic participation. Until Nov. 3, the campaign will roll out a series of short films and PSAs in English and Spanish featuring artists from their star-studded roster.

"A vote is a voice. A voice is power. A voice not spoken cannot be heard," the artists say collectively in the clip, featuring P!NK, Shakira, DJ Khaled, Pharrell Williams, Vic Mensa, Chole X Halle, Meghan Trainor, Jennifer Hudson, Camila Cabello, G-Eazy, will.i.am and others.

Read: Rhyme & Punishment: How NPR's "Louder Than A Riot" Podcast Traces The Interconnected Rise Of Hip-Hop And Mass Incarceration

Mensa also shared his motivation for voting in a new Pitchfork feature that also included words from David Byrne of Talking Heads, Billie Eilish, Margo Price, Chuck D of Public Enemy and 28 other artists.

"[Activist/scholar] Angela Davis stated that this election is less about putting a candidate in the White House who shares our ideals or can be trusted to lead us in the right direction, because that individual doesn't exist. Our motive here must be to elect the ticket with which we have the most potential to pressure an anti-racist agenda into legislation," Mensa wrote.

Learn more about Sony Music's voting campaign at knowyourworth.community, where you can check your registration and more.

From Aretha Franklin To Public Enemy, Here's How Artists Have Amplified Social Justice Movements Through Music

Lady Gaga performs at Coachella 2017

Lady Gaga performs at Coachella 2017

Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella

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Lady Gaga Announces 2020 The Chromatica Ball Tour

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The six-date summer trek, which will follow the release of her forthcoming 'Chromatica' album, will take the pop superstar on a limited run of exclusive performances across Europe and North America
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Mar 5, 2020 - 9:45 am

GRAMMY-winning pop superstar Lady Gaga has announced dates for her forthcoming The Chromatica Ball Tour. The six-date summer trek, launching in late July and running through mid-August, will take "Mother Monster" on a limited run of exclusive performances in stadiums and major venues across Europe and North America. 

The upcoming tour is named after Lady Gaga's newly announced album, Chromatica, which drops April 10. Her sixth full-length to date, Chromatica features lead single "Stupid Love," which she officially released last week (Feb. 28).

In conjunction with the tour, Lady Gaga will donate $1 from each ticket sold to her Born This Way Foundation (BTWF), the nonprofit organization she and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, founded in 2011. BTWF aims to create a "kinder and braver world" by supporting the "mental and emotional wellness of young people" and building "action-oriented programs and useful resources for youth to thrive and drive change in their communities," according to the foundation's mission statement.

Read: YouTube Remasters Classic Music Videos By Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, Nirvana & More

Chromatica, which the singer teased last March, follows Lady Gaga's 2016 album, Joanne, which received two GRAMMY nominations, for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance ("Million Reasons"), at the 60th GRAMMY Awards, held in 2018.

An 11-time GRAMMY winner, Lady Gaga won her most recent golden gramophones at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards, held this past January. The soundtrack for her 2018 film A Star Is Born, in which she co-starred alongside Bradley Cooper, won for Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media, while album single "I'll Never Love Again (Film Version)" won for Best Song Written For Visual Media.

General tickets for Lady Gaga's The Chromatica Ball Tour go on sale next week: Friday, March 13, for the Paris, London and Toronto shows and Monday, March 16, for the Boston, Chicago and New Jersey shows. For more information and for the full tour routing, visit her official website.

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