Country rock singer Kid Rock headed to Capitol Hill yesterday to testify on the topic of skyrocketing concert ticket prices and the role corporations and scammers play in it. As he <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/01/28/blackburn-live-nation-ticket-bots-hearing">put it</a>, “music fans and artists have been getting screwed by the ticketing system.&#8221;
Wednesday’s subcommittee hearing led by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was titled: “Fees Rolled on All Summer Long: Examining the Live Entertainment Industry.”
“I’m in a unique position to testify, because unlike most of my peers, I am beholden to no one, no record companies, no managers, no corporate endorsements or deals,” Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, told the committee. “To put it plainly, I ain’t scared, like many artists, managers and agents are, for fear of biting the hand that feeds them.”
He brought up how Live Nation and Ticketmaster merging was pitched as a benefit for artists and fans, but claimed the opposite has proven true.
“Let’s be clear—this is far from a new problem,” Ritchie said. “Thirty years ago, members of the rock band Pearl Jam sat in these same seats, warning Congress about ticketing abuse. In 2009, Congress was told—under oath—that merging Live Nation and Ticketmaster would benefit artists and fans.”
“The economic foundation that supported artists in the past is crumbling. Piracy is threatening their livelihood. Secondary ticketing is driving up prices for the fans with absolutely no benefit to the artist,” the singer continued, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-news/kid-rock-congress-ticketing-live-nation-ticketmaster-1236487577/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. “Needless to say, that experiment has failed miserably. Independent venues have been crushed. Artists have lost leverage. Fans are paying more than ever and getting blamed for it.”
Kid Rock said there are “mountains of fraud” waiting to be discovered and suggested solutions including allowing performers to set their own prices and capping resale prices, to name a few. He also drew attention to bots that buy up large amounts of concert tickets to resell. Ritchie mentioned that the proposed reforms so far haven’t gone far enough.
“The problem is the ticketing lobbyists push these reforms as cover while fighting to keep tickets in an open market and let them exploit fans under the guise of capitalism,” Ritchie said.
Last year, the Senate Commerce Committee introduced the TICKET Act, a bipartisan bill which would require the total fees for an event ticket to be displayed clearly in advance. The bill passed the House in April, but has not yet passed the Senate.

Kid Rock

Kid Rock Tells Congress That Concert Ticket Prices Are Out Of Control

concert

Congress

Entertainment

Marsha Blackburn

Music

Ticketmaster

U.S.

Coldplay singer Chris Martin issued a playful warning to fans over the weekend during the band&#8217;s first concert since the viral kiss cam controversy.
&#8220;We&#8217;d like to say hello to some of you in the crowd,&#8221; Martin said from the stage of Saturday&#8217;s show in Madison, Wisconsin. Video footage of the event shows the crowd laughing and cheering at what the singer is implying. 
&#8220;How we&#8217;re going to do that is we&#8217;re going to use our cameras and put some of you on the big screen,&#8221; Martin added. &#8220;So please, if you haven&#8217;t done your makeup, do your makeup now.&#8221;
The Coldplay frontman didn&#8217;t specifically mention the kiss cam incident, which involved Astronomer CEO Andy Byron <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/20/us-news/kristin-cabot-coldplay-cheating-scandal-exec-married-into-bostons-wealthy-cabot-family/">reportedly</a> embracing a human resources executive from the company. The two quickly stepped away from each other and out of frame after realizing they were being broadcast to the entire stadium at the July 16 show in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Martin reacted to the couple&#8217;s suspicious behavior, saying, &#8220;Uh oh, what? Either they&#8217;re having an affair or they&#8217;re just very shy.&#8221;
The tech company announced it would investigate the incident after it went viral. Byron <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tech-company-ceo-resigns-after-coldplay-kiss-cam-debacle">resigned</a> from his position. 
&#8220;As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,&#8221; a statement from Astronomer read. &#8220;Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted.&#8221;
&#8220;The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO,&#8221; it continued.
Coldplay has not addressed what happened, other than to post a montage of videos and photos from that show, which has garnered more than <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMN8RCBRWT_/?img_index=5">1.2 million likes</a> on Instagram. Notably, the slideshow does not include widely circulated images of the two embracing each other. 
&#8220;Nice, did anything else happen?&#8221; one popular comment says.
&#8220;What a memorable show, I feel like we were all there,&#8221; another person wrote.

Chris Martin

Coldplay Frontman Gives Fans A Warning At First Concert Since Kiss Cam Fiasco

Chris Martin Gives Fans A Warning At First Coldplay Concert Since Kiss Cam Fiasco

viral video

Astronomer announced the resignation of CEO Andy Byron on Saturday, just days after a video showing the married tech executive cozying up to a colleague at a Coldplay concert went viral.
The company shared the news of Byron&#8217;s resignation in a post to X on Saturday afternoon, saying the CEO had failed to meet the company&#8217;s standards with regard to &#8220;conduct and accountability.&#8221;
&#8220;As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,&#8221; the statement read. &#8220;Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted.&#8221;
&#8220;The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO,&#8221; it continued.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.
Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and… <a href="https://t.co/aTTUhnnyVz">pic.twitter.com/aTTUhnnyVz</a>
— Astronomer (@astronomerio) <a href="https://twitter.com/astronomerio/status/1946640685983224131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The company announced an investigation into the situation on Friday, also dismissing rumors that another employee was in attendance at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, at the time the video was taken.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/coldplay-fan-who-posted-video-of-ceo-embracing-his-chief-people-officer-speaks-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener">short video</a> shows Byron and Cabot embracing one another and then reacting with shock upon realizing they were on the kiss cam. Byron immediately lets go of Cabot and ducks out of frame, while Cabot hides her face and turned away from the camera.
“Oh look at these two,” Coldplay frontman Chris Martin said to the crowd. “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.”
Amanda Harding contributed to this report.

Byron

Tech Company CEO Resigns After Coldplay Kiss Cam Debacle

Media

Music Industry

As the internet continues to obsess over the alleged affair between the CEO of tech company Astronomer and its head of human resources, the woman who initially shared a video of the two appearing to show a public display of affection at a recent Coldplay concert is defending her actions.
&#8220;I had no idea who the couple was. Just thought I caught an interesting reaction to the kiss cam and decided to post it,” New Jersey resident Grace Springer <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/35903214/coldplay-cheating-concert-fan-filmed/">told</a> The Sun of her video clip, which amassed tens of millions of views and became the talk of social media after being posted in the early morning hours on Thursday. 
&#8220;A part of me feels bad for turning these people’s lives upside down, but, play stupid games… win stupid prizes,” she added. &#8220;I hope their partners can heal from this and get a second chance at the happiness they deserve with their future still in front of them.”
&#8220;I hope, for them, my video was a blessing in disguise,&#8221; Springer added.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@instaagraace/video/7527910323681070367" data-video-id="7527910323681070367">
<section><a title="@instaagraace" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@instaagraace?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@instaagraace</a> trouble in paradise?? 👀 <a title="coldplay" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/coldplay?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#coldplay</a> <a title="boston" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/boston?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#boston</a> <a title="coldplayconcert" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/coldplayconcert?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#coldplayconcert</a> <a title="kisscam" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/kisscam?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#kisscam</a> <a title="fyp" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#fyp</a> <a title="♬ original sound - grace" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7527915447535307550?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound &#8211; grace</a></section>
</blockquote>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
The viral video shows married Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and the company’s Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot embracing one another, as was shown on the big screen at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, when the kiss cam landed on them. The couple reacted immediately, with Byron letting go of Cabot and stepping out of frame. Cabot had a similar reaction as she immediately hid her face and turned away from the camera.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin called out their reaction. “Oh look at these two,” the singer can be heard saying. “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.”
As of Friday, the original TikTok video has more than 55 million views.
The popularity of the video spurred many fake reactions, including a faux statement attributed to Byron and images of a fake social media post attributed to Coldplay<a href="https://x.com/MikeBeauvais/status/1945865732748722537"> saying</a>, “Starting with our next show, we’re introducing camera-free audience sections for people and their sidepieces.” 
Byron has served as CEO of Astronomer since 2023, and Cabot was hired nine months ago. 
Byron’s wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, removed her last name from her Facebook account before deactivating it entirely. Byron was on LinkedIn but appears to have removed his profile as of Friday. They reportedly have two children together. 
Neither the exec nor the company has issued a public statement. Ry Walker, Astronomer&#8217;s former CEO, did address the situation with an X <a href="https://x.com/rywalker/status/1945894506160648514">post</a>. 
&#8220;For those asking—I&#8217;m no longer involved in @astronomerio—yes I was co-founder and early CEO—not on the team or board since 2022, and have no information on ColdplayGate.&#8221;

Coldplay Fan Who Posted Video Of CEO Embracing His ‘Chief People Officer’ Speaks Out

Coldplay Fan Who Posted Video Of CEO Embracing His 'Chief People Officer' Speaks Out

cheating

Massachusetts

TikTok

Singer and leftist Bruce Springsteen opened his &#8220;Land of Hopes and Dreams&#8221; tour with his E Street Band by delivering a lengthy diatribe on foreign soil against President Donald Trump, which led to mockery and criticism on social media.
The 75-year-old recording artist took to the stage on Wednesday in Manchester, England, to make his complaints. 
“In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration. Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring!” Springsteen <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/bruce-springsteen-trump-treasonous-concert.html">said</a>, per Vulture.
The longtime Democrat supporter made multiple political statements during his two-and-a-half-hour-long set, per <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/bruce-springsteen-trump-treasonous-concert-2072574">Newsweek</a>.
Before playing the song, My City of Ruins, he said, &#8220;There&#8217;s some very weird, strange, and dangerous s*** going on out there right now.&#8221;
&#8220;In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now. In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world&#8217;s poorest children to sickness and death.&#8221;
On the topic of the Trump administration targeting illegal aliens for deportation, Springsteen said, &#8220;They are removing residents off American streets and without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons.&#8221;
&#8220;In my country they&#8217;re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers. They&#8217;re rolling back historic civil rights legislation that has led to a more just and plural society,” the singer said at another point. “They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom. They are defunding American universities that won&#8217;t bow down to their ideological demands.&#8221;
While some social media users agreed with Springsteen’s message, a large number of commenters were critical of the statements he was making.
“Nobody cares what Bruce Springsteen has to say,” one X user <a href="https://x.com/IanJaeger29/status/1922809978991124748">replied</a>. 
“Bruce Springsteen has completely lost his mind,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1922988892732391472">observed</a>. “He goes full MSNBC instead of just playing the music people were there to hear. Entertainers are such narcissists.”
“Fans don&#8217;t want to hear this bullsh**&#8230;.They want to hear music. They should have booed him off the stage,” a third person <a href="https://x.com/RealHickory/status/1922966007754162319">said</a>. 
Another commenter <a href="https://x.com/Alsboringtweets/status/1922937826166870386">wrote</a>, “Bruce Springsteen waited until his European tour to badmouth Trump. Was he afraid of the response he would have gotten if he tried it here?? I will answer this for you, Yes. Coward move.”
Besides being an outspoken Democrat supporter, Springsteen is a friend of former President Barack Obama and campaigned for both of his presidential campaigns. The singer also headlined rallies for both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris&#8217; last election cycle.

Bruce Springsteen

‘Nobody Cares’: Bruce Springsteen Mocked For Tirade Against Trump

'Nobody Cares': Bruce Springsteen Mocked For Tirade Against Trump During His Concert

Donald Trump

Manchester

Politics

singer

Pop singer Lady Gaga set the record for biggest attendance for a female performer during a free performance in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend.
The 39-year-old singer attracted a crowd estimated to be 2.5 million people strong for her Saturday night show at Copacabana Beach. The concert was sponsored by the local government in an effort to help stimulate the local economy.
During her performance, Gaga told the crowd, “Your spirit may be heard around the world tonight. Two and a half million people,” per <a href="https://variety.com/2025/music/news/lady-gaga-free-concert-rio-copacabana-beach-draws-record-breaking-2-5-million-people-1236386386/">Variety</a>. “Tonight, we’re making history,” she added. “Thank you for making history with me… The people of Brazil are the reason why I can shine.”
The outlet noted that the “Bad Romance” singer last performed in Rio 12 years ago. Fans stood in line for hours hoping to get a good spot.
During Saturday’s show, Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, performed older songs like “Poker Face,” “Bloody Mary,” and “Alejandro” along with songs from her newly released album, “Mayhem.”
The record for most concert attendees for a single female performer was previously held by Madonna, who played for a crowd of 1.6 million at the same location in May 2024, also during a free concert.
While free concert attendance is only based on estimates and is therefore impossible to determine for sure, it’s believed that the <a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/73085-largest-free-rock-concert-attendance">most attended concerts</a> overall were those of French composer Jean-Michel Jarre in Moscow 1997 and Rod Stewart&#8217;s concert in Copacabana in 1994, which are both believed to have attracted audiences of about 3.5 million people.
Lady Gaga’s latest show is also making headlines due to two suspected terror attacks, which were never carried out. Per <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/04/americas/brazil-lady-gaga-bomb-plot-rio-intl-latam">CNN</a>, two people were arrested for attempting to “recruit” people to deploy explosives and Molotov cocktails on the crowd. Per the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, these individuals were targeting LGBT revelers and wanted to “[gain] notoriety on social media.”
Another person planning to perform a “satanist ritual by killing a child or a baby” during the show was arrested and charged with terrorism offenses, the outlet noted.
In a post on Instagram, Lady Gaga thanked fans, saying, “nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night’s show – the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil.”
The singer wrote that “the sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away. Your heart shines so bright, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you.”

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga Breaks Crowd Size Record With Massive Brazil Show

Brazil

Rio de Janeiro

World

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that targeted ticket resellers and scalpers who profit from jacking up the prices.
Recording artist Kid Rock joined the president for the signing. The order directs the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to team up with state attorneys general to enforce laws that prevent entertainers and fans from being overcharged and price gouged by resellers, per <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5224370-trump-executive-order-ticket-scalping-reselling/amp/">The Hill</a>.
The EO also highlights the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act and promotes it being enforced by consumer protection authorities.
It also ensures price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchasing process, including the secondary ticket market, as a better protection for concertgoers. The EO says it will take action to prevent &#8220;unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct&#8221; in the secondary ticketing market.
&#8220;Anyone who&#8217;s bought a concert ticket in the last decade, maybe 20 years, no matter what your politics are, knows it is a conundrum,&#8221; Kid Rock, who was decked out in red, white, and blue, told reporters. 
&#8220;If you buy a ticket for 100 bucks by the time you check it out, it&#8217;s 170. You don&#8217;t know what you can charge for it, but more importantly, these bots you know, they come in to get all the good tickets to your favorite shows you want to go to, and then they&#8217;re relisted immediately for sometimes a 4 or 500% markup.&#8221; 
Kid Rock explained that the artists &#8220;don&#8217;t see any of that money.&#8221;  
“It bothers him, it bothers a lot of other artists too,” Trump said of Kid Rock. 
Trump mentioned tackling high concert ticket prices while on the campaign trail last year.
“Scalpers and bots prevent fans from getting tickets at the prices artists set, and we thank President Trump for taking them head-on. We support any meaningful resale reforms — including more enforcement of the BOTS act, caps on resale prices, and more,” Live Nation Entertainment told The Daily Wire in a statement on Tuesday morning.
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino echoed that sentiment in an X <a href="https://x.com/Michael_Rapino/status/1906842969078120667">post</a> thanking President Trump and Kid Rock for &#8220;taking ticket-scalping head on.&#8221;
&nbsp;

Kid Rock and Trump

Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Ticket Scalpers And Resellers

President Trump Signs EO Targeting Ticket Scalpers And Resellers

Executive Orders

Sir Paul McCartney stunned and delighted fans when he announced he would take the stage at a pop-up <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music">concert</a> at the Bowery Ballroom in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york-city">New York City</a> on Tuesday night.
The 82-year-old former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/the-beatles">Beatles</a> band member debuted a show called &#8220;Paul McCartney Rocks the Bowery,&#8221; which was announced on his official website and social media platforms at noon on Tuesday, per <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/paul-mccartney-bowery-ballroom-surprise-show/">CBS News</a>. Fans scrambled to get tickets for the intimate performance at the 575-seat venue as they were only available in person at the Bowery Ballroom&#8217;s box office and cost just $50. Purchasers were limited to one ticket each.
Lines quickly wrapped around the block, and the show sold out within an hour.
&#8220;There was people running from all directions &#8212; subway, bikes, getting out of cars and taxis. Everybody was running,&#8221; a fan named Adrienne Dee-Olsen told CBS.
Another fan told the news outlet that he considered McCartney’s concert an “emergency” worth running out of work for. &#8220;I literally left work, told my boss it&#8217;s a big emergency. He&#8217;s like, &#8216;What&#8217;s the emergency?&#8217; I go, &#8216;It&#8217;s Paul McCartney.&#8217; I mean, like, what&#8217;s more important than that?&#8221; Stephen Esposito said.
Video recording and photography were not permitted in the venue, but a <a href="https://variety.com/2025/music/concert-reviews/paul-mccartney-electrifies-new-york-bowery-ballroom-concert-review-1236304663/">Variety</a> reporter noted that McCartney began his set with “Hard Day’s Night” and followed up with other Beatles classics, along with hits from his other band, Wings. The British rocker was joined onstage by his tour partners, including guitarist Rusty Anderson, guitarist-bassist Brian Ray, keyboardist Paul “Wix” Wickens, and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr.
He did a solo to “Blackbird” on an acoustic guitar, per <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/entertainment/paul-mccartney-plays-surprise-show-at-bowery-ballroom-in-nyc/">The New York Post</a>, and recalled how he wrote the song for the Beatles during the civil rights movement. “We were just kids. I’ve got grandchildren older than that now,” McCartney told the crowd.
Other songs played included “Letting Go,” “Got to Get You Into My Life,” “Let Me Roll It,” “My Valentine,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Come on to Me,” “Now and Then,” “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “Jet,” and many others.
The crowd sang along to all the hits and shrieked with delight at times, which McCartney addressed from the stage. 
“Hey, that was a Beatles scream,” he said at one point before inviting the audience members to get it out of their system. “Okay girls, let’s get it over with,” he said with a sigh, as Variety noted. “Let’s hear your Beatles screams.”
The crowd erupted for a few minutes until the rock performer stopped them, saying, “Okay, that’s enough.”
McCartney played for 90 minutes before thanking the crowd and departing.

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney Plays Surprise Concert In NYC, Fans Scramble For Tickets

Beatles

New York

New York City

Pop star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift</a> closed out her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">Eras Tour</a> this past weekend, setting a record for highest ticket sales ever, closing with just north of $2 billion in sales that were double the gross ticket sales of any other concert tour in history, per <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/arts/music/taylor-swift-eras-tour-ticket-sales.html">The New York Times</a>.
Previously, the highest-earning tour was Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour, which started in 2022 and is ongoing. That has earned just over $1 billion so far. In third place is Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour (2018-2023), which earned $939 million.
Swift’s first stop on the Eras Tour was in Glendale, Arizona, in March 2023. She closed out the tour in Vancouver, Canada, at the BC Place Stadium on Sunday, telling fans, &#8220;We have toured the entire world. We have had so many adventures. It has been the most exciting, powerful, electrifying, intense, most challenging thing I&#8217;ve ever done in my entire life.”
Right before playing her last song, “Karma,” and leaving the stage, the 14-time Grammy Award winner said to the crowd, “I want to thank every single one of you for being a part of the most thrilling chapter of my entire life to date — my beloved Eras Tour.”
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
According to a report from <a href="https://people.com/taylor-swift-gave-eras-tour-crew-usd197-million-in-bonuses-exclusive-8758216" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People</a>, Swift gave out $197 million worth of bonuses to her tour crew, which included truck drivers, caterers, instrument techs, the merch team, lighting and sound, production staff and assistants, carpenters, dancers, a band, security, choreographers, pyrotechnics, riggers, hair, makeup, wardrobe, physical therapists, and the video team.
The singer, who now has a personal net worth of more than $1 billion, didn’t just earn money from the tour and merchandising. Swift was also the top streamed artist of 2024 on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, the outlet noted. Her newest album, The Tortured Poets Department, was also the most streamed album of the last year.
She also released a self-published book called The Eras Tour Book over Thanksgiving weekend. The book included photos and text about the tour and reportedly sold 814,000 copies in two days. 
Fans headed to TikTok to point out <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-errors-tour-fans-complain-taylor-swifts-self-published-book-full-of-typos-layout-issues">multiple typos</a> and photo layout errors in the book, which they nicknamed “The Errors Tour Book.” Those complaints were not enough to stop the tidal wave of sales ahead of the holidays.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift Ends Eras Tour With Record $2B In Ticket Sales, Hands Out $200M Bonuses To Crew

Country superstars came together and raised tens of millions of dollars at a benefit concert for the victims of Hurricane Helene.
The Concert For Carolina, held in Charlotte on Saturday, raised $24.5 million dollars to help those in the southeastern states affected by the devastating hurricane that hit the area last month, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/north-carolina-helene-victims-left-behind-get-help-from-star-studded-concert-carolina">reported</a>.
The event was put on by North Carolina country singers Luke Bryan and Eric Church — who were joined by such stars as James Taylor, Billy Strings, Keith Urban, and more — with 100% of the proceeds going to help those hurt by the hurricane that left more than 230 dead.
During the concert, Church announced that, through his Chief Cares Foundation, 100 homes were also being donated to those in need, the outlet noted.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve come up with a plan called Blueprint for the Blue Ridge. We&#8217;re going to put 100 families in homes that have lost their homes in Avery County and the surrounding areas — one of the worst hit areas,” the singer said. “In an area that I spent half of my years, an area I&#8217;ve had a lot of inspiration and gained a lot of inspiration, in an area I&#8217;ve made five records in. And we&#8217;re going to go and keep those people in their community, put a roof over their heads, let them interact with their community, let them be a part of their community, and let them help rebuild the community.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
when Eric or Luke call I say yes !! A huge shoutout to <a href="https://twitter.com/lukecombs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lukecombs</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ericchurch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ericchurch</a>, and everyone involved in making Concert For Carolina a phenomenal success . Over $24.5 million raised (and counting !!) 💪
Nic and I also wanna thank all the crew / volunteers and everyone behind… <a href="https://t.co/IAjBBfspYm">pic.twitter.com/IAjBBfspYm</a>
— Keith Urban (@KeithUrban) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithUrban/status/1850671547066753294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2024</a></blockquote>
Church and Combs previously announced that all proceeds from the show would be split 50/50 between Combs and Church’s foundation, <a href="https://www.wcnc.com/article/weather/hurricane/helene/hurricane-helene-benefit-concert-luke-combs-eric-church-james-taylor-billy-strings/275-e7bcfbfc-1d38-4312-9f47-60656ea00a73">WCNC </a>noted. Combs’ portion will be distributed among relief groups like Samaritan&#8217;s Purse and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, Fox News noted.
The concert also follows massive personal donations from country superstars like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jason-aldean">Jason Aldean</a>, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/morgan-wallen">Morgan Wallen</a> to aid with hurricane relief efforts. The heavy metal rock band <a href="https://x.com/Metallica/status/1842292459558289888">Metallica</a> also announced they were contributing $100,000 to help those in the area.
Church and Combs previously spoke to <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/country/luke-combs-eric-church-hurricane-helene-relief-concert-interview-1235796031/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">Billboard</a> about a conversation the two singers had in the aftermath of the hurricane — a conversation that ultimately led to Saturday&#8217;s concert.
Combs — who went to Appalachian State University — said the morning after the hurricane hit, both of them “were just inundated with calls and texts and pictures and images from the areas.”
“I called Eric and was like, ‘Hey, let’s figure out how to do a show. I don’t know when, I don’t know where. We’ll worry about that later, but let’s just pool our resources,&#8217;” Combs said. “Let’s do what we do best and help in the way that is best suited to my abilities and Eric’s abilities’ and I think we’re doing that.”
“It was disbelief,” Church said. “These are areas that I knew and then I saw the photos and I didn’t recognize these areas. My family spends half the year in Banner Elk.”
“That’s as much home as Nashville is,” he added. “It was just this shock of I know what I’m supposed to be looking at, but that doesn’t look anything like what it looked like a week ago. I don’t think I’ve come to grips with it yet.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/country-stars-unite-for-benefit-concert-for-hurricane-victims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Country Stars Unite For Benefit Concert For Hurricane Victims</a>

Hurricane Helene Damage

Concert For Carolina Raises Tens Of Millions For Hurricane Helene Victims

Hurricane Helene

News

North Carolina

Country star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/luke-combs">Luke Combs</a> announced he and other stars are coming together for a benefit concert in Charlotte to help those in the southeastern states affected by Hurricane Helene.
In a <a href="https://x.com/lukecombs/status/1843294077757902916">post</a> on Monday, the 34-year-old country singer wrote that he “had something big planned for Carolina. One of the ways we’re helping is a benefit concert at Bank of America Stadium on Oct. 26th!&#8221;
“This concert took so much planning, work, and coordination from so many people,” he added. “I’m so thankful to everyone who helped make this a possibility on such short notice. Tickets will go on sale this Thursday and 100% of all proceeds will be going directly to those who need it most.”
Combs named Eric Church, James Taylor, and Billy Strings as joining him for the concert with all proceeds from the show to be split 50/50 between Combs and Church&#8217;s Chief Cares Foundation to help those in the Carolinas affected, <a href="https://www.wcnc.com/article/weather/hurricane/helene/hurricane-helene-benefit-concert-luke-combs-eric-church-james-taylor-billy-strings/275-e7bcfbfc-1d38-4312-9f47-60656ea00a73">WCNC </a>noted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I told y’all I had something big planned for Carolina. One of the ways we’re helping is a benefit concert at Bank of America Stadium on Oct. 26th! This concert took so much planning, work, and coordination from so many people. I’m so thankful to everyone who helped make this a… <a href="https://t.co/b6bHwcGfZq">pic.twitter.com/b6bHwcGfZq</a>
— Luke Combs 🎤 (@lukecombs) <a href="https://twitter.com/lukecombs/status/1843294077757902916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
Church and Combs also spoke to <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/country/luke-combs-eric-church-hurricane-helene-relief-concert-interview-1235796031/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">Billboard </a>about the conversation the two singers had after the hurricane that led to the concert.
Combs — who went to Appalachian State University — said the morning after the hurricane hit both of them “were just inundated with calls and texts and pictures and images from the areas.”
“I called Eric and was like, ‘Hey, let’s figure out how to do a show. I don’t know when, I don’t know where. We’ll worry about that later, but let’s just pool our resources,'&#8221; Combs said. &#8220;Let’s do what we do best and help in the way that is best suited to my abilities and Eric’s abilities’ and I think we’re doing that.&#8221;
“It was disbelief,” Church said. “These are areas that I knew and then I saw the photos and I didn’t recognize these areas. My family spends half the year in Banner Elk.”
“That’s as much home as Nashville is,” he added. “It was just this shock of I know what I’m supposed to be looking at, but that doesn’t look anything like what it looked like a week ago. I don’t think I’ve come to grips with it yet.”
The concert follows massive donations from country superstars like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jason-aldean">Jason Aldean</a>, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/morgan-wallen">Morgan Wallen</a> to aid with hurricane relief efforts. The heavy metal rock band <a href="https://x.com/Metallica/status/1842292459558289888">Metallica</a> also announced they were contributing $100,000 to help those in the area.
“Over the past week, Hurricane Helene has left a 500-mile path of destruction throughout Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee in its wake,” the band <a href="https://x.com/Metallica/status/1842292459558289888">wrote</a> on X. “It is an unmitigated tragedy, with over 215 lives lost and hundreds of people still unaccounted for. Historic water levels and widespread flooding across the Appalachians have left hundreds of roads inaccessible, hindering rescue efforts.”
The <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/05/us/helene-death-toll-rises-saturday/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death toll</a> was up to at least 232 as of Monday across Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia in the wake of the hurricane.
For information about the “Concert for Carolina,” visit their <a href="https://www.concertforcarolina.com/">website</a> for tickets, updates, details, and more.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jason-aldean-makes-huge-donation-to-help-hurricane-victims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jason Aldean Makes Huge Donation To Help Hurricane Victims</a>

CMA Fest 2022 – Day 3

Country Stars Unite For Benefit Concert For Hurricane Victims

Celebrities

Country Music

Dolly Parton

Jason Aldean

Luke Combs

Morgan Wallen

A rap artist who goes by the name <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rapper-macklemore-talks-about-being-sober-following-pandemic-relapse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Macklemore</a> was slammed on social media after encouraging others in the crowd at his concert in Seattle to chant “F**k America.”
In a clip that surfaced on <a href="https://x.com/EndWokeness/status/1837704621822714322">X</a> over the weekend from his concert, the 41-year-old rapper-born Benjamin Hammond Haggerty appeared to react to something he heard in the crowd, telling his fans, “Straight up say it, I’m not gonna stop you. I’m not gonna stop you. Yeah, f**k America,” <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/macklemore-hinds-hall-2-f-america-chant-seattle-show-1235781597/">Billboard magazine</a> reported.
The crowd then begins to cheer, yell, and clap loudly for the performer, before he debuted a new track titled “Hinds Hall 2,” which contains anti-Semitic rhetoric, in which he blasts Israel for defending itself following the deadly October 7 attack that left more than 1,200 dead and hundreds kidnapped.
It came during a music event in Washington titled, “Palestine Will Live Forever Festival.” The description of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Macklemore/">event</a> said, “All funds raised will be split between: Pious Projects, HEAL Palestine, UNRWA, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, and grassroots mutual aid.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;F*ck America&#8221; &#8211; Macklemore tonight in Seattle. The cheering crowd goes wild. <a href="https://t.co/gF8AP6uAje">pic.twitter.com/gF8AP6uAje</a>
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1837704621822714322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
Reaction to the video was swift with people blasting the rapper’s comments.
One person <a href="https://x.com/Sassafrass_84/status/1837705105652511121">wrote</a>, “If you hate this country, then get [the f] out. Go find one that represents your ideals. American doesn&#8217;t want or need your trash here.”
Another <a href="https://x.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1837708439453106237">added</a>, &#8220;Hey<a href="https://x.com/macklemore"> @macklemore</a>, since you hate America so much why don’t you leave? Thanks.”
While a third wrote, “Shame. This country made Macklemore possible. Where else could he have got rich and famous?? Shame.”
The rapper has been vocally anti-Israel, even dropping an earlier version of his song “Hinds Hall” in May which blasts the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas following the terrorist attack on October 7. The song references the many anti-Israel protests on college campuses that were happening at the time, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13880077/macklemore-leads-anti-America-chant-charity-concert-Seattle-benefit-Palestinian-refugees.html">Daily Mail</a> noted.
In the song he called out President Joe Biden and raps, “&#8217;The blood is on your hands Biden, we can see it all. And f**k no, I&#8217;m not voting for you in the fall.”
Last year at another anti-Israel rally in Washington, D.C., Macklemore took the stage and told the crowd, “I don&#8217;t know enough, but I know enough that this is a genocide,” the outlet noted.
Weeks before the rally, the rapper released a statement in which he condemned both the bloody Hamas attacks on Israel and Israel&#8217;s response, calling the latter an “unfolding genocide” and a “U.S. backed human catastrophe,” <a href="https://pitchfork.com/news/macklemore-delivers-impromptu-speech-at-pro-palestine-rally-in-dc/">Pitchfork</a> noted.

Menu