Billboard

For decades, Warped Tour was a proving ground for punk, emo and alt-rock artists – and an annual place where those fan communities could gather. In 2025, six years after Warped wrapped its initial 25-year run, the festival returned with three two-day events in California, Florida and Washington, D.C. Here, Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman, Vans executive Steve Van Doren, Honey Revenge’s Devin Papadol and Pennywise’s Fletcher Dragge look back on the event’s legacy – and why it remains a touchstone today. Moderated by: Taylor Mims. 

Dating back to the earliest days of their music careers, Maggie Baird has helped her children, Billie Eilish and Finneas, take an eco-conscious approach; in 2020, she founded Support + Feed, which aims to mitigate climate change and increase food security by increasing accessibility to plant-based foods, including at large-scale events like concerts. Eilish, Finneas and Baird have been supported in their efforts by industry partners like REVERB, the nonprofit committed to creating a more sustainable music industry, and the merchandising company Bravado, which has helped develop forward-thinking and influential sustainability solutions for merch. Here, Baird, REVERB co-founder/co-director Adam Gardner, and Bravado president Matt Young reflect on their work in the green touring space – and look ahead at the work that remains. Moderated by: Katie Bain.

It increasingly feels like women have broken the agency space’s glass ceiling, yet women agents continue to face gender-specific challenges. In this panel, sponsored by Allegiant Stadium, four women whose careers are testaments to greater inclusivity in this sector – Jenna Adler (CAA), Marsha Vlasic (Independent Artist Group), Sara Williams (WME) and Elisa Vazzana (UTA) – discuss navigating the live business, their clients’ touring strategies and the status of that glass ceiling. Moderated by: Hannah Karp

In recent years, Rauw Alejandro has become one of the most in-demand Latin touring acts – and on his Cosa Nuestra tour this year, he took his high-concept stage production to another level. In this spotlight conversation, Rauw Alejandro and Live Nation SVP of global touring Hans Schafer will discuss the reggaeton artist’s emergence as one of the live sector’s most sought-after stars. Moderated by: Leila Cobo.

Shakira sat down for a brief chat with her long time Tour Manager, Marty Hom, after accepting Billboard’s Global Touring Icon Award. Additionally, her tour just became the highest grossing Latin tour of all time. They talked backstage at rehearsal’s her show in Cali, Colombia, about these honors and how she feels about her career, juggling her family life and parenthood with her tour and work, and how she couldn’t do it without her solid team and great family and friends.  

Sponsored by AXS, when Chappell Roan announced her fall 2025 pop-up shows, she made it her mission to get tickets for the concerts into the hands of real fans. Partnering with AXS, she used the ticketing leader’s innovative tool, Fair AXS, to verify buyers – and stop bots and scalpers from hijacking the moment. In this panel, Dean Dewulf (AXS), Lauren McKinney (Foundations Artist Management), and Kristen Mitchell (Wasserman Nashville) unpacked how an artist’s vision, management strategy, and ticketing technology came together to protect Chappell’s community and set a new standard for fan-first onsales. Moderated by Dave Brooks.

Billboard’s editor-in-chief Hannah Karp gives an introduction to the Billboard Live Music Summit 2025 and she’s joined onstage by Nick Groff, the manager of German DJ Bunt., to explore how artists can engage fans even more with technology.