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LONDON — Following the controversial ticket sale for Oasis’ reunion dates in the U.K. and Ireland this coming summer, the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) has said that Ticketmaster may have “misled” fans over pricing for the shows.
In August 2024, the Gallagher brothers announced their reformation for 19 stadium shows, their first since their split in 2009. The tour will begin on July 4 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, before heading to North America, Asia, Latin America and Australia in the ensuing months
The ticket sale process drew huge demand, but some fans complained of unclear pricing for tickets after long waits for the opportunity to purchase passes. An update to the CMA’s ongoing investigation highlights that Ticketmaster UK may have breached consumer protection law, by “Labelling certain seated tickets as ‘platinum’ and selling them for near 2.5 times the price of equivalent standard tickets, without sufficiently explaining that they did not offer additional benefits and were often located in the same area of the stadium.”
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The update adds that demand meant that cheaper tickets sold out first, but that the release of more expensive tickets for similar places in the stadiums meant that “many fans waited in a lengthy queue without understanding what they would be paying and then having to decide whether to pay a higher price than they expected.”
More than 900,000 tickets were sold for Oasis’ long-awaited reunion tour, but the pricing strategy proved controversial when standard standing tickets advertised at £135 plus fees ($174) were re-labelled “in demand” and changed on Ticketmaster to £355 plus fees ($458).
Following the furore, Oasis issued a statement saying they had no “awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used” in the sale of tickets for the initial dates. The CMA launched an investigation in September to examine whether Ticketmaster had used “unfair commercial practices” to pressure fans into paying higher prices for tickets.
Ticketmaster denied the use of the so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ method, with the company’s U.K. director Andrew Parsons telling MPs in February, “We don’t change prices in any automated or algorithmic way.” He added that all prices are determined by artist teams and promoters SJM Concerts, MCD Promotions and DF Concerts, all of which have links to Live Nation, Ticketmaster’s owners.
The report acknowledges that since the opening of the investigation, “Ticketmaster has made changes to some aspects of its ticket sales process,” but that the CMA “does not currently consider these changes are sufficient to address its concerns.” The report does not directly comment on the alleged ‘dynamic pricing’ model, but cites other concerns around clearer sale practises.
The CMA says that, “Following a formal investigation, the CMA is now consulting with the ticketing platform on changes to ensure fans receive the right information, at the right time.”
In a statement to Billboard U.K., Ticketmaster U.K. said, “We strive to provide the best ticketing platform through a simple, transparent and consumer-friendly experience. We welcome the CMA’s input in helping make the industry even better for fans.”
Downing Street responded to the report (via the BBC) by repeating a quote given by culture, media and sport secretary Lisa Nandy following the news that the government announced plans to cap the value of resold tickets for live events like music. “The chance to see your favourite musicians or sports teams live is something that all of us enjoy… But for too long fans have had to endure the misery of touts hoovering up tickets for resale at vastly inflated prices.
“We’ve also seen cases where a lack of transparency has meant customers have been caught unawares by last minute price rises for high demand events.”
Erykah Badu has loudly and proudly always marched to the beat of her own drummer. But the “Call Tyrone” singer admitted this week that she’s happily hopping on a recent trend to protest the deep cuts to government agencies being led by Elon Musk as part of his DOGE team by trashing one of the richest man in the world’s signature vehicles.
“Just vandalized my own Tesla,” Badu tweeted earlier this week. “Trying to stay on trend.”
There have been a number of attacks on Teslas and Tesla dealerships around the country over the past few weeks, from Cybertrucks set on fire to molotov cocktails hurled at Tesla dealerships and vandalism of charging stations. Attackers have also taken their ire out on the all-electric vehicles with anatomical drawings and NSFW messages such as “Hail Elon” and “Nazi car,” in seeming reference to Musk’s Nazi-like salute at Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.
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It was unclear if Badu — who recently revealed to Billboard that she is working on her first new album in 15 years — was joking or actually dinged up her Tesla, but she is not the only one breaking up with the pricey vehicle that was once considered a badge of environmental courage. Sherly Crow announced last month that she had sold her Tesla and donated the proceeds to NPR in protest; NPR and PBS executives will be on Capitol Hill on Wednesday (March 26) to testify in a hearing titled “Anti-American Airwaves: Holding the Heads of NPR and PBS Accountable” as DOGE is reportedly homing in on drastic cuts to public radio and television.
While many protests across the nation, and the world, have focused on Teslas and Musk, Green Day took aim at the billionaire during shows in January, where singer Billie Joe Armstrong swiped at the unelected DOGE boss while performing in Musk’s home country of South Africa. “I’m not part of the Elon agenda,” he sang in a switch to a classic “American Idiot” lyric.
Jack White also slammed Musk during a performance of his 2018 single “Corporation” at a February 18 show on his No Name tour. “I was thinking about becoming an oligarch, who’s with me?” White sang in Boston. “I was thinking about taking government subsidies and starting my own electric car company. Who’s with me?” he added. “I’m thinking about not being elected. Never holding a public office. Never serving one day of military service. But somehow having the authority to control parts of the U.S. Government. Who’s with me?”
Then, on the debut episode of Netflix’s Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney earlier this month, 1960s folk legend Joan Baez lamented that “our democracy is going up in flames… we’re being run by a bunch of really incompetent billionaires.” And while she didn’t name names, when Mulaney joked about Baez owning a Tesla, she noted that she did used to have one, but that she sincerely regrets the purchase now.
“I hated that thing,” Baez, 84, said. “But I thought I was supposed to like it. So I drove off in it. Within 45 minutes I had smashed it into an oak tree on my property… I was thinking, ‘That’s a sign.’” Without saying when she ditched it, Baez added, “I hated it… It was too big… I sold it and got one-half the amount of money I paid for.”
Two of the world’s most iconic names in electronic music — U.S.-based Insomniac and Belgium’s Tomorrowland — are joining forces for the first time ever to debut a groundbreaking new experience titled UNITY.
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The collaborative project will premiere over Labor Day weekend (Aug. 29–31) at Sphere in Las Vegas, one of the most technologically advanced venues on the planet.
Billed as “just the beginning,” UNITY marks the first chapter in a broader partnership between the two powerhouse festival producers and promises to transport audiences into a new dimension of immersive music and storytelling.
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“Through the past decades, we both have strived to create festivals and experiences around the world that foster beautiful, unique communities of individuals,” reads a joint statement from Insomniac and Tomorrowland. “Music is our universal language, the dance floor our sanctuary, and every one of you, our family. Now, for the first time in history, our worlds become one.”
“Now, for the first time in history, our worlds become one. In UNITY, we join together to create a brand-new experience that harnesses the magic, love, and awe-inspiring moments within our events—and there’s no better stage on earth than Sphere.”
Merging Tomorrowland’s signature dreamworlds — including Planaxis, Adscendo, and Orbyz — with Insomniac’s flagship universes like Beyond Wonderland, Escape Halloween, and Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), the UNITY experience is being described as a guided audiovisual journey through the imagination. The story will unfold across an original orchestral-meets-electronic soundtrack, featuring cinematic compositions and iconic dance anthems, building toward surprise DJ performances during a climactic finale.
The event will take full advantage of Sphere’s next-gen immersive capabilities, including its 16K resolution wraparound LED display and Sphere Immersive Sound system, allowing UNITY to blur the lines between fantasy and reality, bringing fans inside the shared creative visions of both brands.
Vibee is offering exclusive hotel and ticket packages from March 27–30 at unity.vibee.com, with general presale access beginning March 31 at 10 a.m. General on-sale begins April 7 at unityxsphere.com.
A rare piece of Beatles history has resurfaced in an unexpected place: a small record store in Vancouver.
Rob Frith, owner of Neptoon Records, recently stumbled upon what he believed was a run-of-the-mill bootleg labeled Beatles 60s Demos. But after finally playing the reel-to-reel tape—years after acquiring it—Frith realized he may have uncovered a direct copy of the band’s original 1962 Decca audition tape.
“I just figured it was a tape off a bootleg record,” Frith posted on social media. “After hearing it last night for the first time, it sounds like a master tape. The quality is unreal. How is this even possible to have what sounds like a Beatles 15-song Decca tapes master?”
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The tape is believed to be a copy of the infamous Jan. 1, 1962 audition session The Beatles recorded at Decca Studios in London. The label famously passed on signing the group—who would instead join Parlophone under George Martin and release their debut album Please Please Me in 1963.
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Frith, speaking to CBC, said the sound quality was so pristine “it seemed like the Beatles were in the room.” The tape, wound in what’s known as “leader tape” (used to separate tracks on master recordings), was identified by music preservationist Larry Hennessey as something far more than just a fan-made compilation.
Further intrigue came when Frith tracked down the man who brought the tape to Canada: Jack Herschorn, a former Vancouver label executive. According to Herschorn, the tape was given to him by a producer in London during the 1970s with the suggestion to sell copies in North America. But he refused, saying, “It didn’t feel like the moral thing to do. These guys are famous and they deserve to have the right royalties on it… it deserves to come out properly.”
Now, more than 60 years after the original session, fans can hear a snippet of the first track—“Money (That’s What I Want)”—via Frith’s Instagram, where it’s quickly gone viral among Beatles devotees.
Frith says he has no intention of selling the tape but would gladly offer a copy to Decca or, as he joked, personally hand it to Sir Paul McCartney if he ever stopped by Neptoon Records.
Elton John is preparing to release his new collaborative album with Brandi Carlile next week, but a new interview has seen the prolific artist reveal the upcoming record left him confronting his mortality.
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John and Carlile’s new record, Who Believes in Angels?, is set to release on April 4, with singles such as its title track and “Swing for the Fences” arriving in the lead-up. While announcing the record, John explained it hit hard on both sides of the spectrum, describeing it as equally “one of the toughest I’ve ever made” and “one of the greatest musical experiences of my life.”
In a new episode of the Smartless podcast which was released to subscribers on Tuesday, March 25 – John’s 78th birthday – the musician revealed that the album’s closing track hit closer to home than previous songs due to its rather pertinent themes.
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“I wrote a song at the end of the album and I just get the lyrics, Bernie Taupin’s lyrics,” John explained “I’m writing the verse, like, ‘Oh, this is really pretty.’ And then I get to the chorus and of course it’s about my death.
“When you get to my age, which is near 100, you think, ‘How much time have I got left?’” he continued, before his thoughts turned to husband David Furnish and sons Zachary and Elijah. “You’ve got children, you’ve got a wonderful husband, you just think about mortality. And so when I got to the chorus, I just broke down for 45 minutes – and it’s all on film.”
The sessions were recorded as part of the film Elton John: Never Too Late, which was released in October to widespread acclaim. The titular “Never Too Late” will also be released on Who Believes in Angels? and was recently up for best original song at the Academy Awards.
“I want everybody to see it because it’s really human, like deeply flawed and embarrassing,” Carlile added. And the kind of shit that you do when you forget that there is a camera on is what’s really interesting.”
The forthcoming episode of the Smartless podcast, which officially releases to all listeners on March 31, also sees John reflecting on his earliest days as a solo musician. “I never imagined myself as a solo artist,” he explained. “When I was in my group, Bluesology, I took the big risk of going up to Liberty Records saying, ‘I want to write songs, I’m so fed up with playing in a band that doesn’t want to go anywhere, and I can sing too.’”
Longtime Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham has teamed up with former bandmate Mick Fleetwood once again, with the pair reuniting in the recording studio recently.
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News of the pair’s musician reunion was detailed by Swedish producer Carl Falk, who took to Threads recently to share a photo from the studio where Fleetwood has been working on a new solo album. The sessions have ostensibly also seen Fleetwood working with The War on Drugs’ Adam Granduciel.
“Slightly unreal moment to sit with Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood to play Lindsey the album we have been working on,” Falk wrote. “And to see his genuine happiness for Mick to finally do his own album and offering to play guitar and to sing on it. Can’t wait to finish this one.”
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Another post shared by Falk captured Buckingham in the studio with his guitar in hand. “Mick and Lindsey together again, what a flawless guitar player,” the caption wrote. Currently, no official details from Fleetwood have been announced in regard to the content or release of the forthcoming album.
Fleetwood served as one of the founding members of Fleetwood Mac alongside guitarist Peter Green and bassist John McVie, serving as the group’s percussionist for the entirety of their career. Buckingham joined as guitarist and vocalist alongside singer Stevie Nicks in 1974, completing the band’s most famous lineup, which also included McVie’s then-wife Christine.
Buckingham departed the group in 1987, but rejoined in 1997 as part of the band’s classic lineup reunion. Buckingham remained with the band until the 2018 announcement he would no longer be touring as part of Fleetwood Mac.
“I have sadly taken leave of my band of 43 years, Fleetwood Mac. This was not something that was really my doing or my choice,” Buckingham later explained during a live concert. “I think what you would say is that there were factions within the band that had lost their perspective.”
“It harmed the 43-year legacy that we had worked so hard to build,” he added of the group’s decision, “and that legacy was really about rising above difficulties in order to fulfill one’s higher truth and one’s higher destiny.”
The guitarist was replaced by former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers member Mike Campbell, and Crowded House’s Neil Finn for the band’s final years. Fleetwood Mac would officially split in 2022 following the passing of Christine McVie.
Buckingham’s departure from Fleetwood Mac occurred almost a year after the release of Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie, an album which featured the band’s lineup with the exception of Nicks. Until 2025, it was the most recent collaboration between Buckingham and Fleetwood.
English art pop musician FKA Twigs has announced the cancellation of her upcoming North American tour dates after her production team failed to obtain the necessary visas..
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FKA Twigs (whose real name is Tahliah Barnett) shared the news via social media on Tuesday (March 25), explaining that while previous shows on her current Eusexua Tour have been “absolutely incredible,” she conceded the experience “has been challenging with production and the more practical side of putting this tour together.”
One of those challenges has now been the news that her upcoming North American tour dates have been cancelled days before they were supposed to take place. The affected dates include a March 26 date in Chicago, two dates in Toronto from March 30-31, and a pair of shows in New York City from April 3-4.
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“Today I was informed that production did not fill out the correct paperwork in a timely manner for us to have our visas to come to the USA and perform,” the singer explained. “So that means by no choice of my own I will have to pull out of my New York, Chicago, and Toronto shows.”
“For those of you who are wondering why I have to pull out of Toronto because it’s not part of the United States, it’s because of routing and just the complex beast that touring is,” she added. “I don’t take this lightly. I’m completely devastated, to be honest with you. Completely heartbroken. All I want to do is be there with you and bring Eusexua to you.”
She continued by noting she was “looking into how and why this happened,” and promised that information regarding rescheduled dates would be announced shortly.
FKA Twigs has been touring off the back of her long-awaited third album, Eusexua, which was released on Jan. 24 and reached a career peak of No. 24 on the Billboard 200. The record itself followed on from her 2022 mixtape Caprisongs, though it was her first full-length album since 2019’s Magdalene.
The current tour was scheduled to launch on March 8 with a show in Prague, but this and its follow-up date in Berlin were both cancelled with “shipping issues” cited as the reason. FKA Twigs is currently scheduled to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California next month, along with an additional date in San Francisco on April 19, though no updates have been given as to whether these shows may be affected by her current visa issues.
Lynyrd Skynyrd signed a label deal with Frontiers Music Srl, which will release the iconic rock band’s live album and DVD, Celebrating 50 Years – Live At The Ryman, taped at its 50th anniversary concert at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in 2022. The show featured the final performance of founding member Gary Rossington. The band is managed by Vector Management.
Downtown Neighboring Rights will manage and represent Jason Mraz‘s neighboring rights. Mraz’s catalog includes such hits as “I’m Yours,” “Lucky” featuring Colbie Caillat, “I Won’t Give Up” and “I Feel Like Dancing,” the lead single from his latest album, Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride.
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Sydney Rose (“Turning Page,” “We Hug Now”) signed to Mercury Records and will release her new EP, I Know What I Want, on the label on April 4. “We Hug Now” went viral on TikTok earlier this year. Rose is booked by CAA.
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Thelma & James (“Happy Ever After You”), a duo composed of married Nashville-based singer-songwriters MacKenzie Porter and Jake Etheridge, signed with Big Loud Records. The label released the duo’s new song, “First Love,” on March 14. Thelma & James is currently in the studio working on new music.
R&B singer JayDon signed a label deal with Usher and L.A. Reid‘s mega. The label released his single “I’ll Be Good” — which samples Usher’s “How Do I Say” — on March 14 ahead of his forthcoming EP Me, My Songs and I, which is set for release this spring. Under the name JD McCrary, JayDon is known for voicing Young Simba in 2019’s The Lion King and starring in films and TV shows including The Paynes and Little. He also appeared on Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack.
Country singer-songwriter Cole Phillips signed with WME for global representation. The Oklahoma native will release his EP Steel Toes and Texacos on April 11 on RECORDS Nashville. The EP will feature five songs he co-wrote, including “West Tx.” Phillips is repped by WHY&HOW for management. – Jessica Nicolson
Singer-songwriter Alexandra Savior signed with RCA Records and released a new single, “Unforgivable.” Savior previously released two albums, Belladonna of Sadness and The Archer, on Columbia and 30th Century Records, respectively.
Concord and Pulse Music Group’s Pulse Records signed Nashville-based singer-songwriter Elizabeth Nichols, who released her debut single, “I Got a New One,” on Dec. 6. Pulse released her latest single, “Bad Taste,” on Friday (March 21). Nichols is managed by Dylan Bourne and James Martin at Bourne Creatives and booked by Meredith Jones Long and Cheryl Paglierani at CAA.
Third Man Records signed Austin, Texas, rock band Die Spitz. The quartet, which has previously supported Amyl and the Sniffers, Sleater-Kinney and OFF! on the road, is slated to embark on a world headlining tour starting May 28, including slots at The Governors Ball and Bonnaroo.
Mexican pop group ALMAS — composed of Alegría, Dae, Dany and Steph — has signed to Universal Music Latino. “Being welcomed to the Universal Music Latino family is more than just a milestone for us — it’s a celebration of our journey, our voices, and the strength of women in music,” the band said in a statement. “We are excited to share our story with the world and continue to push innovative boundaries while staying true to who we are.” – Griselda Flores
Also signing with Universal Music Latino was emerging Colombian artist Annasofia. Based out of Miami, Annasofia is also a musician and producer, and the signing marks “the next step” in her career, according to a press release. The 24-year-old is a graduate of Art House Academy under the mentorship of renowned producer Julio Reyes Copello. – Griselda Flores
Billy Ray Cyrus and Scott Adkins (who manages Cyrus) signed Native American guitarist, songwriter and producer Micki Free as the flagship client of the duo’s newly-formed Roam Man Management. Free, who recently released an EP, Dreamcatcher, won a Grammy for his contribution to the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack.
Americana artist Connor Daly signed with Burning Ground Entertainment for management. Daly released his debut album, Colors Fade, in July. Daly, who counts Jason Isbell, Zach Bryan and Ed Sheeran as inspirations, recently released a new single, “Curtains Never Close.” Burning Ground Entertainment also represents artists including Mic Drop, The Pretty Wild, and Tayiha. – Jessica Nicholson
Before we celebrate our Billboard Women in Music honorees this Saturday night — including 2025 Woman of the Year Doechii — the Billboard charts team put together the Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century chart (encompassing women soloists, all-women groups and groups with prominent women’s vocals). On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, […]
Interscope Records rules the top of the latest Billboard 200 albums chart, as the company holds the top three titles on the list dated March 29. It’s the first time Interscope has held the top three concurrently in over 20 years. Further, Interscope is one of only two labels to have claimed the top three […]