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People watching the 67th annual Grammy Awards, which aired three months ago today, contributed nearly $10 million for Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts. MusiCares reports that that money has made its way to recipients across the region, helping both music professionals and the broader local population affected by the horrific event.
MusiCares has distributed $6,125,000 to more than 3,100 music professionals across Los Angeles. In addition, $3,969,005 has been directed to three community-based organizations: California Community Foundation, Direct Relief and Pasadena Community Foundation.
In addition to the $10 million contributed by Grammy telecast viewers, MusiCares and the Recording Academy raised another $16 million during Grammy weekend thanks to the MusiCares Fire Relief campaign and the annual Persons of the Year gala, which this year honored the Grateful Dead. MusiCares has allocated $6 million of that $16 million to long-term fire relief efforts, while the other $10 million from Persons of the Year gala will be used for MusiCares’ year-round mission delivery.
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“The music community does amazing things when it comes together,” Harvey Mason jr., Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO, said in a statement. “This outpouring of love and support was humbling, whether it was performing or participating on the show, making contributions or donating their time and items for fundraisers. We are grateful for this amazing community and the Grammy viewers who felt inspired to give.”
Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares, added: “What moved us most in the days following the Grammy telecast wasn’t just the scale of support, it was the spirit behind it. Thousands of people gave what they could, and together, their generosity became a lifeline for those in crisis, which reached far beyond our industry. That’s why we partnered with trusted community organizations who are helping Angelenos across the region access the care, resources and support they need to rebuild.”
MusiCares reports that the median contribution during the Grammy telecast was $53.50.
The Grammy telecast, which was held less than a month after the wildfires broke out on Jan. 7, included several segments dedicated to raising awareness of the crisis. Two of the night’s performances were specifically inspired by the events – Dawes’ opening performance of Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” and Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga bypassing their own nominated smash “Die With a Smile” to perform the Mamas & the Papas’ “California Dreamin’.”
While MusiCares responded within days of the fire’s outbreak to provide immediate assistance, the long-term needs of music professionals are only now coming into sharper focus. From loss of work and instruments to the emotional toll of displacement and trauma, the wildfire tragedy continues to affect lives. MusiCares continues to provide aid through customized case management, mental health support and financial assistance to those with lasting need.
MusiCares Fire Relief funding comes from multiple sources, of which the Grammy telecast was the largest. Fire Relief distributions are made as part of an independent and confidential client case management model overseen by MusiCares. MusiCares expects many more millions to be distributed over the coming year as they continue to serve the fire victims.
To address the broader community impact beyond the music industry, MusiCares and the Recording Academy partnered with three organizations already embedded in the neighborhoods hardest hit by the fires. Here are quotes from leaders in those organizations on the status of recovery efforts.
California Community Foundation (CCF)
“Recovery isn’t just about rebuilding homes,” said president and CEO Miguel Santana. “People who lost their homes also lost schools, churches, stores — the places that connected them to their neighbors to form the community they treasured. As we bring activity back to places like a park, a church, or a school, people can re-connect as a community. Those chances to be together can give people strength and hope as they continue the difficult process of rebuilding their individual lives.”
Direct Relief
“Recovery from wildfires involves more than rebuilding physical infrastructure—it requires addressing complex social challenges such as housing instability, food insecurity, and healthcare disparities,” said Dr. Byron Scott, CEO. “Community health centers and free and charitable clinics serve as vital anchors, providing not just medical care but comprehensive support including mental health counseling, housing assistance, and nutritional services.”
Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF)
“Nonprofits in Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre have been our partners on the ground for more than 70 years,” said Jeannine Bogaard, VP of community impact. “Throughout the last three months, PCF has seen these organizations meet the moment in countless ways—disbursing cash assistance and emergency supplies, securing stable housing, addressing the unique challenges of older adults, rescuing and tending to lost and injured pets, and so much more.”
For more information on the MusiCares Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort or to donate, visit www.musicares.org.
On Friday (May 2), the TODAY show announced the 30th-anniversary lineup for its Citi Concert Series on TODAY, with outdoor performances on the way from Kelly Clarkson, Jonas Brothers, Blake Shelton, Cynthia Erivo and more.
Clarkson will kick things off next week with a Rockefeller Plaza concert on Tuesday, following the release of her new single “Where Have You Been.” The rest of the 2025 roster includes Blake Shelton (May 13), Sebastián Yatra (May 30), Cynthia Erivo (June 6), Ciara (July 11), Zac Brown Band (July 25), Jonas Brothers (Aug. 8) and Role Model (Aug. 29).
More performers will be announced, including concerts through September.
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While TODAY‘s Concert Series has gone through different creative directions in the past three decades, the summer tradition began with the first Rockefeller Plaza concert from Earth, Wind & Fire back in 1995, as Al Roker recalled to Billboard.
“It started with Earth, Wind & Fire literally on the plaza. In the last 30 years, we’ve had musical icons and first appearances of icons-to-be,” Roker tells Billboard exclusively. “It’s been imitated but never duplicated because of the excitement that our plaza audience gives and gets from our concert performances.”
Anyone can attend the famous outdoor concerts — known for attracting fans as far as the eye can see outside TODAY‘s New York studio — by registering for Fan Passes at TODAY.com/Concerts, which allow priority access to the show ahead of General Admission. Viewers can also join the General Admission line the morning of each concert and will be admitted if space permits; the line entrance is located at 48th Street and Rockefeller Plaza.
Find the full lineup below:
May
Tuesday, May 6: Kelly Clarkson
Tuesday, May 13: Blake Shelton
Friday, May 30: Sebastián Yatra
June
Friday, June 6: Cynthia Erivo
July
Friday, July 11: Ciara
Friday, July 25: Zac Brown Band
August
Friday, Aug. 8: Jonas Brothers
Friday, Aug. 29: Role Model
September
TBD
Sir Bob Geldof and the team behind Live Aid will celebrate the legendary charity concert’s 40th anniversary this summer with a series of events including a re-broadcast of highlights from the all-star 1985 shows and a new behind-the-scenes BBC documentary.
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First up will be the release of the original cast album for Just For One Day — The Live Aid Musical on July 11, according to NME. The news was announced on Friday morning (May 2) by Geldof and fellow Band Aid Charitable Trust trustees Midge Ure of Ultravox, as well as Harvey Goldsmith and John Kennedy.
“We couldn’t possibly have known that 40 years down the track, the issue would be as vital or the interest as great,” Geldof said about the announcement of the musical and cast album. “Millions of children today are being forced to starve as an instrument of war, and millions of lives are in peril due to AIDS and because of cuts to international aid.” The original Live Aid shows were seen by nearly two billion people around the world and raised more than $125 million for Ethiopian famine relief.
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The musical will hit London’s West End on May 15 following a sold-out run at the Old Vic Theatre. Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical (Original Cast Recording) will feature songs from the artists who made history at the dual A-list charity shows held on July 13, 1985 in London and Philadelphia, including Queen, David Bowie, U2, Elton John, Madonna, Bob Dylan, The Who, Geldof’s Boomtown Rats, The Police and many more.
There will also be a special 40th anniversary performance of Just For One Day at the Shaftesbury Theatre on July 13, followed by an afterparty with performances from special guests.
BBC Two, CNN and the BBC iPlayer will celebrate the anniversary with the new three-part behind-the-scenes documentary Live Aid at 40, with exclusive interviews with Geldof, U2’s Bono and Sting that will look at the concert’s impact on music, politics and global awareness about famine between the 1985 original and the 2005 Live 8 reboot, according to Variety; it will air in four parts on CNN as Live Aid: When Rock ‘n’ Roll Took on the World.
In addition, BBC Two will air Live Aid the Concert, a 6.5 hour highlight reel of the two shows with backstage footage and interviews with Bono, Queen guitarist Brian May, David Bowie, Elvis Costello and many more.
Check out a promo video for the musical below.
Ed Sheeran is bringing it all back home to celebrate his upcoming Play album. On Friday (May 2), the singer announced the run of shows in Ipswich this summer, which will have the Ed joined by an all-star roster of support acts as she sets up shop at Suffolk town’s Portman Road stadium, home of his beloved Ipswich Town FC football club.
The shows on July 11, 12 and 13 will find Sheeran joined by, respectively, Myles Smith and Tori Kelly on night one, Busted and Dylan on night two and James Blunt and Maisie Peters on the final evening. Sheeran, who last year bought a minority stake in the football club, posted a promo video on Friday morning cued to his new single, “Old Phone,” in which he toiled at drawing the lines on the venue’s pitch alongside a lengthy essay about what the venue means to him.
“Something incredibly exciting to announce. One of the first ever concerts I went to as a kid was at Ipswich Town Portman Road to see Elton John,” he wrote. “James Blunt opened for him, and I got so obsessed with James’ music, it really shaped me as a singer songwriter from then on. I started doing shows around ipswich as a young teenager, in pubs and bars, then moved to London to ‘make it’ because that’s what you did back then. Then things took off for me and I toured the world, but never ended up playing ipswich really, for whatever reason, but mostly because I lived there and thought if I’m gonna do it, it has to be special.”
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The singer said he first wanted to play Portman Road in 2019 when we wrapped up the Divide tour, but because football season was still in full swing he ended up playing elsewhere. “It’s always been such a dream to play Portman Road that I kept badgering the @ipswichtown team, but because I tour so much and football is very rigid in their schedule I always missed the opportunity to play it,” Sheeran added. “Fast forward to now, having become an investor in Ipswich Town, I got a bit more sway and asked if I could launch my new record there, as a one off weekend of shows, and they agreed. I play all around the world, in such amazing stadiums, but nothing means as much as this one here. This really is a true home coming, and is 3 nights only. It’ll be such a special weekend of shows, with a killer line up (shout out @jamesblunt for coming back and completing the circle).”
You can get early access to tickets by pre-ordering Play from Sheeran’s official store by 3 p.m. BST on Tuesday (May 6). A pre-sale will begin at 10 a.m. BST on Wednesday (May 7), followed by a general on-sale at 10 a.m. BST on Friday (May 9); click here for more information on ticketing.
Sheeran recently announced the details about his upcoming eighth studio album, Play, which is due out on Sept. 12 from Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records. His first full-length LP since 2023’s Autumn Variations will feature the Persian-influenced first single, “Azizam” and nostalgic new song, “Old Phone.”
Check out the poster and video pitch for Sheeran’s Ipswich Town shows below.
We are delighted to announce that @edsheeran will be playing three live shows at Portman Road this summer! 🏟️🎶— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) May 2, 2025
The slate of nominees have been announced for the 12th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards, Billboard can exclusively reveal. The awards show, which honors top hitmakers in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) genre each year, will return to Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House on May 25, and will be hosted by Matthew West, Jeremy Camp, Mac Powell and MercyMe‘s Bart Millard.
This year, 10 artists will vie for artist of the year: Brandon Lake, Crowder, Anne Wilson, TobyMac, Tauren Wells, Josh Baldwin, for KING & COUNTRY, MercyMe, CeCe Winans and Forrest Frank. Meanwhile, the song of the year contenders are Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” Baldwin’s “Made for More,” Wells’ “Take It All Back,” Crowder’s “Somebody Prayed,” Megan Woods’ “The Truth,” Leanna Crawford’s “Still Waters,” Jamie MacDonald’s “Desperate,” Winans’ “That’s My King,” MercyMe’s “Oh Death” and TobyMac’s “Nothin’ Sweeter.”
The annual awards show serves as the pinnacle each year for the three-day K-LOVE Ultimate Fan Experience, which also includes a Friday night kick-off concert, Emerging Artist Showcase, Songwriter’s showcase, Sunday morning worship service and more. This year’s Ultimate Fan Experience weekend will be held May 23-25 in Nashville.
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Last year, for King & Country took home the artist of the year honor, while other winners included Lake (male artist of the year as well as worship song of the year for “Praise You Anywhere”), Wilson (female artist of the year) and Elevation Worship (group of the year). The annual awards show is a John Sanders LLC production presented by Coca-Cola Consolidated.
See the full list of this year’s K-LOVE Fan Awards nominees below:
Song of the year:
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake“Made for More” – Josh Baldwin“Take It All Back” – Tauren Wells“Somebody Prayed” – Crowder“The Truth” – Megan Woods“Still Waters” – Leanna Crawford“Desperate” – Jamie MacDonald“That’s My King” – CeCe Winans“Oh Death” – MercyMe“Nothin’ Sweeter” – TobyMac
Worship song of the year:
“Goodbye Yesterday” – Elevation Rhythm“God Is Not Against Me” – Elevation Worship“That’s Who I Praise” – Brandon Lake“Take You at Your Word” – Cody Carnes“Lead On Good Shepherd” – Patrick Mayberry“In the Name of Jesus” – JWLKRS Worship“The Jesus Way” – Phil Wickham
Breakout single: “Desperate” – Jamie MacDonald“The Truth” – Megan Woods“Still Waters” – Leanna Crawford“Whisper and the Wind” – Bodie“Flowers” – Samantha Ebert
Artist of the year:
Brandon LakeCrowderAnne WilsonTobyMacTauren WellsJosh Baldwinfor KING & COUNTRYMercyMeCeCe WinansForrest Frank
Group of the year:
CAINMercyMefor KING & COUNTRYWe Are MessengersElevation WorshipCaleb & JohnBig Daddy WeaveJWLKRS WorshipElevation RhythmWe The Kingdom
Male artist of the year:
Brandon LakeCrowderJeremy CampTauren WellsJosh BaldwinTobyMacForrest FrankPhil WickhamMatthew WestJosiah Queen
Female artist of the year:
Anne WilsonCeCe WinansLauren DaigleTasha LaytonTerrianJamie MacDonaldMegan WoodsLeanna CrawfordKaty NicholeSamantha Ebert
Film Impact:
Unsung HeroThe Best Christmas Pageant EverThe Unbreakable BoyBonhoefferSound of HopeCabriniThe ForgeWhite BirdSomeone Like YouThe Chosen Season 5
TV/Streaming Impact:
The Wingfeather Saga Season 2House of DavidShadrachHomestead: The SeriesThe Riot and the Dance Season 1Heart of a Servant: The Father Flanagan Story
Podcast impact:
Jan Harrison – Rooted & Radiant
Jonathan Pokluda’s Becoming Something podcast
John Siebeling and Wayne Francis – Leadership in Black & White
Andy Chrisman – 1 Degree of Andy
Christine Caine – Life & Leadership Podcast
Lisa Harper – Back Porch Theology
Max Lucado – Encouraging Word Podcast
Book Impact:
I Want to Trust You, But I Don’t – Lysa TerKeurstGod Never Gives Up on You – Max LucadoI Surrender All – Priscilla ShirerDevoted to Jesus – Alex & Stephen KendrickFeasting on God’s Word – Kristi McLellandHow Great Is Our God – Chris TomlinMy Story Your Glory – Matthew West
Ozzy Osbourne will definitely be on stage at the upcoming Back to the Beginning gig in his hometown of Birmingham, U.K. for what is being billed as Black Sabbath’s final-ever show. But given his recent run of ill health and surgeries, the 76-year-old rock icon said his madcap performance days are definitely over.
Speaking to the Guardian, Osbourne said, “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.” The July 5 show at Villa Park is slated to feature a massive roster of metal acts paying tribute to Osbourne and the band’s iconic career, including Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Alice in Chains, Pantera, Gojira, Lamb of God, Mastodon and many more.
But after Tool singer Maynard James Keenan recently said that Osbourne — who hasn’t performed a full set since Dec. 31, 2018 — will need “modern miracles” to get on stage given his health issues, Ozzy said he is, indeed dealing with a lot. “You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong. You begin to think this is never going to end,” he said of a series of health setbacks including a 2019 fall that aggravated a previous spinal injury and required several surgeries, as well as pneumonia and the diagnosis of a form of Parkinson’s.
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Regardless, Osbourne has said he’s begun rigorous training to play the first show by the original Black Sabbath lineup in 20 years, where he’ll appear alongside guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward. “I do weights, bike riding, I’ve got a guy living at my house who’s working with me. It’s tough – I’ve been laid up for such a long time,” Osbourne said of his regimen. “I’ve been lying on my back doing nothing and the first thing to go is your strength. It’s like starting all over again. I’ve got a vocal coach coming round four days a week to keep my voice going. I have problems walking. I also get blood pressure issues, from blood clots on my legs. I’m used to doing two hours on stage, jumping and running around. I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time. I may be sitting down.”
Osbourne noted that the reunion concert was originally conceived by his wife/manager, Sharon Osbourne, as “something to give me a reason to get up in the morning.” That said, Ozzy confirmed that he won’t be performing a full set, but “only playing a couple songs each. I don’t want people thinking ‘we’re getting ripped off’, because it’s just going to be… what’s the word? … a sample, you’re going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and Sabbath.”
Among the newly added acts who will be playing a few songs alongside Guns N’ Roses and members of Judas Priest, Limp Bizkit, Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Megadeth, Ghost and more, according to Sharon Osbourne, are members of Soundgarden and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler.
Musical director Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine told the Guardian that there are also “some pretty great surprises that are not posted anywhere [yet].”
The show will raise funds for three charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the Birmingham-based Acorns Children’s Hospice.
Lorde has officially returned to the ARIA Singles Chart’s top tier, as her latest release “What Was That” debuts at No. 9 this week (May 2). It marks the New Zealand singer-songwriter’s first top 10 appearance in Australia since 2017, when “Green Light” peaked at No. 4. The new track, co-produced by Dan Nigro — […]
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New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson proved why he was named this year’s Kia Clutch Player of the Year after delivering a huge three-point make against the Detroit Pistons in their first-round series. Despite a spirited performance from the upstart Pistons, Jalen Brunson, who seemingly lives for these moments, dropped the dagger from beyond the arc and sank the hopes of Detroit.
The Knicks visited the Pistons with a 3-2 advantage in their best-of-seven series, which got testy in game 4 with the Pistons showing plenty of fight in the contest and coming away with the win. It appeared that the Pistons were on their way to capturing the win on their home court, but the tight defense of the Knicks and their hot shooting tied things up towards the end of regulation.
Brunson faced yet another round of boos and insults from fans and a relentless onslaught of speed, offense, and defense from Detroit’s young core of Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren. However, with the game tied 113-all and just 20 seconds on the clock, Brunson tied the cape around his neck and went to work.
With the much taller Thompson guarding him, Brunson shrugged off the coverage, hit a crossover dribble, and drained one of the biggest three-pointers of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. After hitting the shot, Brunson blew kisses to the crowd, and the Pistons made an effort to score, but the Knicks’ defensive scheme headed off their plans.
Brunson and the New York Knicks will now face the defending champion Boston Celtics in what’s expected to be a must-see series.
On X, Jalen Brunson’s clutch heroics were the top-trending topic. We’ve got reactions below.
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Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty
Maroon 5 has returned with a major pop crossover moment. On Friday (May 2), the Adam Levine-fronted band unveiled their new single “PRICELESS” featuring BLACKPINK’s LISA, released via 222/Interscope Records.
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The track marks Maroon 5’s first-ever collaboration with a K-pop artist and offers a guitar-driven sound that nods to the group’s early 2000s roots, paired with LISA’s confident rap feature. The accompanying music video, shot on 35mm film and directed by Aerin Moreno, draws inspiration from Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
“It’s just a guitar-based song which we haven’t really done in so long. It happened first for us while we were recording the album. I think it’s just the purest and we are so happy to have LISA on it,” frontman Adam Levine said in a statement.
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He added, “The guitar intro is literally me playing into an audio message on my iPhone with an unplugged guitar. I actually got a little emotional recording ‘cause it was sort of reconnecting to our roots, which a lot of our fans have been saying ‘hey we want to hear that sound again.’ It’s been like over 20 years so I think it’s time for that to return.”
Teasers of the track, which Maroon 5 previewed on Instagram in late April, included Levine’s falsetto vocals alongside a rap verse from LISA: “Yeah, talk is cheap boy stop it/ Got my love that’s a real big profit.”
In the days leading up to the confirmation of “Priceless,” Maroon 5 also teased the collab by posting an Instagram photo from behind of the lead singer and a mystery woman standing side by side, gazing out of a floor-to-ceiling window at a cityscapeLISA’s IG Story also featured a clip with audio, showing the K-pop star lying back while seemingly filming a music video.
The single also serves as the first preview of Maroon 5’s upcoming 2025 album, which the band first teased during Levine’s recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (April 8).
“PRICELESS” follows Maroon 5’s 2021 album Jordi, which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. For LISA, the track adds to her growing list of international collaborations as a solo artist, following the success of her 2021 debut single “LALISA” and her ongoing work with BLACKPINK.
Watch the “PRICELESS” video and stream the single now.
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Westside Gunn recently dropped his Heels Have Eyes EP, and the closing track “EGYPT” was one of the standout cuts from the quick project. After sampling Doechii‘s 2024 interview with Ebro Darden for the opening portion of the track, Westside Gunn tapped the TDE lyricist for the remix, and the verse is a show-stopper.
Heels Have Eyes was a surprise drop from Westside Gunn and released in conjunction with the Buffalo rapper’s Heels Have Eyes 6: 4 The Culture pro wrestling event from his rising promotion. The EP was Gunn’s second release for 2025 after dropping the 12 mixtape earlier this year in February.
Produced by Cee Gee, “EGYPT’s hard-as-nails beat set the perfect platter for Gunn to feast and dropped one of the strongest verses we’ve heard from Hip-Hop’s self-proclaimed top curator. And to highlight how much Gunn is tapped into the culture, Doechii, who counts herself a fan of the Griselda mastermind, delivered a face-melting set of bars that we hope leads to more collaborations with the rest of the camp like Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, and Armani Caesar.
Check out some lines from Doechii’s feature:
Roberto Cavalli, see the nipples through my shirt/
My Daisy Dukes prolly drag a n*gga through the dirt/
Snuck up on his mama, hit the n*gga where it hurts/
Smith Wess’s on the Glock, double C’s on the purse/
Embroidered bed sheets, 500-hundred thread count/
Almost choked on my grills tryna eat the lamb chop/
Swallowed two pills, hid the Grammy in my t*tties/
Took a PJ to see Westside’s city/
Why did Doechii do that to us? We aren’t worthy.
Check out the remix for “EGYPT” below and keep scrolling to see the reactions from fans on X.
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Photo: Getty
