Pete Parada, the former drummer of The Offspring, has detailed the controversial circumstances surrounding his dismissal from the band in 2021.

Speaking on the Try That In A Small Town podcast, Parada recounted the events that led to his exit, citing medical advice and a turbulent interaction with the band’s management as key factors. Parada, who joined The Offspring in 2007, shared that his decision not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 was based on medical guidance.

Claiming he previously suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare neurological disorder—his doctor advised against the vaccine due to potential risks. Despite presenting this exemption, Parada claimed it was dismissed outright by the band’s newly appointed manager.

“He was new with the band. He’d only been with them since Covid hit. So I didn’t have a lot of history with this guy,” Parada said. “He chose to come at me like a flamethrower. I’ve gotten crappy phone calls before, this was the most abusive and threatening call I’ve ever had in my entire career.”

“He made it clear that I was either to get vaccinated or I’d be replaced,” he added. “The phone call was so shocking.” 

Parada revealed that he reached out to his long-time bandmates to voice concerns about the manager’s behavior, but his attempts were met with indifference.

“I tried to talk to them about him and I said, ‘You might fire me over this but you should know, this guy is not representing you well and if he’s treating me like this, he’s treating your crew even worse’”, he claimed. “I was told, ‘That’s not the concern right now, he’s not the concern, your refusal to do this is the concern.’”

Communication broke down soon after, Parada claimed, adding that he realized he had been replaced when his flight to a rehearsal was unexpectedly canceled. “That’s how I found out,” he said.

At the time, The Offspring was gearing up to promote their tenth studio album, Let the Bad Times Roll, released in April 2021, which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Albums Chart and No. 27 on the Billboard 200.

The band has yet to publicly address Parada’s recent comments, and they are currently preparing for their Supercharged Worldwide in ’25 tour in support of their 11th studio album, Supercharged., released in October. The album reached No.1 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, while the lead single “Make It All Right” reached No. 1. reached No. 1 on both the Alternative Airplay and Active Rock charts. The band have since released “Light It Up”, as well as “Come To Brazil”.

The Offspring: Supercharged Worldwide in ’25 Australian tour will kick off on Sunday, May 4 in Adelaide, heading onto Melbourne and Sydney, and closing out on Wednesday, May 14 in Brisbane.

In a statement before its release, Dexter Holland revealed that Supercharged was recorded in Maui, Vancouver and the group’s home studio in Huntington Beach with legendary producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi). “I feel like this is the best we have ever sounded! We’ve been rocking out and headbanging to it for months! And we can’t wait for you guys to hear it!” he said.

Leighton Meester’s music career is experiencing a revival following the devastating loss of her Los Angeles home in the recent wildfires.

With encouragement from none other than Flavor Flav, fans have rallied behind the Gossip Girl actress and singer by revisiting her discography, sparking a wave of support across social media and music platforms. Flavor Flav took to TikTok on Jan. 14 to spotlight Meester’s 2009 single “Somebody to Love,” which features Robin Thicke.

In the video, the Public Enemy rapper danced to the pop track, urging fans to “Stream @LeightonMeester ‘Somebody to Love’ and use the song in yo TikTok’s.” He captioned the post, “Starting to hype up my girl Leighton Meester and help her family recover from the fire.”

The call for support comes amid reports that Meester and her husband, actor Adam Brody, are among the many families displaced by the wildfires that began last week, forcing thousands to evacuate. The couple, who share two children, have not publicly commented on the loss of their Pacific Palisades home.

Fans have since responded with overwhelming enthusiasm by revisiting Meester’s self-written debut album, Heartstrings, released in 2014. Meester wrote all nine tracks featured on the record by herself, and the album was produced by Jeff Trott.

The album has now climbed to No. 18 on the iTunes all-genre album chart, surpassing notable releases like Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion, and Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N Sweet. Her single “Your Love’s a Drug,” released in 2010, has also cracked the iTunes songs chart.

This resurgence mirrors the support seen for Heidi Montag, another wildfire victim whose decade-old album, Superficial, recently topped the iTunes charts thanks to a viral TikTok campaign.

Flav has also been instrumental in promoting Montag’s music, posting several TikTok videos with the caption, “Doing my part to get Heidi Montag to #1.” Montag and her husband, Spencer Pratt, lost their Pacific Palisades home in the fires and turned to social media to share their journey and encourage fans to stream Montag’s music as a way to help them rebuild.

Following the success of Superficial, Montag’s album surged to No. 1 on iTunes. To celebrate, Montag and Pratt joined Billboard’s Tetris Kelly during a TikTok livestream to discuss future plans, including new music.

“We just actually had one of the most famous writers and producers reach out to us, and I recorded it yesterday,” Montag revealed. “They asked us not to specify who they are […] We’re really excited, and there’s a lot of stuff in the works. We really want to focus on getting a portion back to the community too, so we’re trying to figure out how to incorporate charities into everything we’re doing.”

Meanwhile, Flavor Flav, a vocal advocate for using music as a means of recovery, also announced on Jan. 11 that he has donated to wildfire relief efforts through GoFundMe campaigns and nonprofit organizations.

He encouraged others to join his efforts, stating, “They need us right now.”

Meester’s music career includes standout moments such as her collaboration with Cobra Starship on the 2009 hit “Good Girls Go Bad,” her role in the 2010 film Country Strong, and the release of singles like “Somebody to Love” and “Your Love’s a Drug.”

Zach Bryan has turned his focus to the world of film, recruiting actor Matthew McConaughey to help tease a new project called Motorbreath.

Bryan’s new announcement came about in a pair of posts shared to Instagram on Wednesday morning (Jan. 15). In the first, he shared a clip of a new track ostensibly titled “Birdie”. Though no information was provided alongside the snippet, the intimately-recorded acoustic cut sees Bryan namechecking the likes of Elliott Smith in the lyrics.

The second post, however, is much more substantial, enlisting the help of McConaughey (who previously starred in Bryan’s “Nine Ball” music video in 2024) to announce the upcoming film.

“This is not a film about a band, this is a film about a boy from Oklahoma,” McConaughey explains. “A boy who joined the Navy, with a love of writing. That writing connected with people, a lot of people. This film is about a group of best friends taking a two-week motorcycle ride across America, while recording one final major label album. Oh, and the title of the film, you ask? Motorbreath.”

Currently, no further information has been shared in regard to the details surrounding Motorbreath, such as a release date. It does, however, follow on from a snippet of a song by the same name that Bryan shared to social media in early November.

Bryan’s latest release, The Great American Bar Scene, arrived in July as his third album since signing to Warner Records. The record – which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 – followed on from the arrival of his chart-topping self-titled effort the year prior.

Earlier in January, Bryan took to social media to defend his friends from the “harassment” they’ve received from “f–kin weird couch warriors” following his highly-publicized breakup with Brianna LaPaglia (aka Brianna Chickenfry) in October.

Actor David Schwimmer has looked back on some of his formative jobs, recalling the time he served Rod Stewart with divorce papers.

Schwimmer spoke about his previous career while appearing on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to promote his current role on Disney+ and Hulu’s Goosebumps: The Vanishing. While he’s spent more than 30 years as one of the most prominent actors in film and TV, his early career was far less stable, as he explained to host Stephen Colbert.

“One summer after my freshman year in college, I was just looking for work,” Schwimmer remembered. “And my mom said, ‘Well, you can be a process server for me’. My mom was a divorce lawyer. So I was the guy who would pop out of the bushes and serve you divorce papers. At the time I was 18, and I’m like James Bond. I’m not James Bond! ‘Cause you’re tipped off as to where they might be.”

As he continued, Schwimmer turned his focus to one of his more famous “targets” during this line of work. “Once, and oh man, thank goodness I’ve never run into him since,” added, “but I served Rod Stewart. I don’t even know if he knows. I don’t think he knows.”

“He knows now,” replied Colbert before jokingly giving Schwimmer some sage advice. “Change your locks, man. He is vengeful.”

Stewart was previously married to Alana Stewart from 1979 to 1984, which coincides with the timeframe of Schwimmer’s time as a process server. In 1990, Stewart married Rachel Hunter, though they would divorce in 2006 following a separation in 1999. Since 2007, he’s been married to Penny Lancaster-Stewart.

Stewart is set to hit the road once again in February, performing across the U.S. before returning to Las Vegas to continue his Caesars Palace residency. He’s also one of the few artists officially confirmed to be performing at England’s Glastonbury Festival on June 25.

Appearing in the Sunday teatime Legends slot, he joins Neil Young at the festival, who recently confirmed his appearance after previously distancing himself from the event based on what he now calls an “error in the information received”.

The times they are a-changin’, and with just a few days to go before a potential U.S. ban of TikTok, veteran musician Bob Dylan has finally joined the popular video-sharing app.

Dylan, 83, made his TikTok debut on Tuesday (Jan. 14), sharing a single post which urges potential followers to “Explore the world of Bob Dylan, now on TikTok”. The accompanying video features numerous clips, stills, and record covers from Dylan’s lengthy career, soundtracked to clips of “Like a Rolling Stone”, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, “Hurricane”.

While Dylan’s appearance on the app has been well-received by his fanbase, much of the attention is being focused on his somewhat late arrival, given the impending TikTok Ban.

“You’ve got 30 minutes king,” wrote one user on Dylan’s post, while another added, “Bob Dylan save tiktok.” Others still made reference to his catalog in their posts, noting that “tiktok is knocking on heavens door”.

As it stands, TikTok is facing an imminent ban because the American government is worried about its Chinese ownership. After the Supreme Court last month agreed to hear TikTok’s challenge to the law that would either force ByteDance to sell the app or bar it from the U.S., the Court’s imminent decision means that if the law is upheld, ByteDance will be forced to sell off the app or face a ban on Sunday (Jan. 19).

Dylan’s immediate future, however, looks a little more certain, especially given that the response to James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown biopic has seen his catalog earn 11.6 million U.S. on-demand streams in the week ending Dec. 26.

While it’s unknown whether Dylan’s debut on TikTok is part of a biopic-inspired decision to reach a newer fanbase, it does come about shortly after his recent decision to ostensibly begin using social media with greater frequency. In November, Dylan shared a Tweet praising a performance from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in France, leading Cave to respond with gratitude.

“I was elated to think Bob Dylan had been in the audience,” Cave wrote on his sporadically-updated Red Hand Files website. “And since I doubt I’ll get an opportunity to thank him personally, I’ll thank him here. Thank you, Bob!”

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are turning loss into creativity.

The couple, who first found fame on the reality series The Hills, lost their home in the Pacific Palisades wildfire. Amid the tragedy, the pair turned to social media to share their journey and encourage fans to stream Montag’s previous music as a way to help them rebuild.

Since then, Montag’s 2010 album Superficial surged to No. 1 on social media and iTunes. To celebrate, the couple joined Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly during a TikTok livestream to discuss what they have in store in the upcoming months, including some more new music. “We just actually had one of the most famous writers and producers reach out to us, and I recorded it yesterday,” Montag revealed. “They asked us not to specify who they are […] We’re really excited, and there’s a lot of stuff in the works. We really want to focus on getting a portion back to the community too, so we’re trying to figure out how to incorporate charities into everything we’re doing.”

Montag also thanked fans for their support in a video posted to TikTok and Instagram on Saturday night, “Thank you so much to everyone, No. 1 on iTunes charts, oh my gosh. Thank you for the overwhelming love and support of my music and really rallying behind us in this devastating time and making it such a blessing.”

“Thank you for helping support us, helping build us back up, helping to encourage us, give us that hope and faith and excitement in such a dark, dark time,” she added, noting the “crazy” timing of it being the album’s 15-year anniversary.

Since Tuesday (Jan. 7), ferocious wildfires have been blazing through the greater Los Angeles region, causing extensive damage to life and property, including those of many individuals working in the music business. With nearly 180,000 residents impacted by evacuation orders, at least five dead and thousands of structures damaged or destroyed, music industry organizations are finding ways to provide relief for impacted music workers.

Below, find a list of some of the music organizations offering relief for L.A. industry workers. We will continue to update this list as more announcements are made.

(For health alerts, evacuation updates and shelter information, check out L.A. County’s emergency website here.)

MusiCares

The Recording Academy’s philanthropic arm MusiCares is offering financial assistance. A representative from MusiCares stated, “MusiCares is a resource to music professionals impacted by the fires in the Los Angeles area. MusiCares provides short-term disaster relief, including $1,500 in financial assistance and a $500 grocery card, to music professionals impacted. MusiCares disaster relief is intended to cover short-term costs, should you incur costs from evacuating (hotel, food, supplies). MusiCares is also able to provide additional support for individuals with considerable impact, including damage to their homes, medical issues, damaged music equipment or longer-term relocation needs. MusiCares support is available to music professionals (in any capacity) with 5 years employment or credit on 6 commercially-released recordings. If you would like to request support from MusiCares, please reach out to musicaresrelief@musicares.org.”

Along with The Recording Academy, MusiCares announced Thursday (Jan. 9) that it had launched a Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort to support music professionals impacted by the crisis. The organizations kicked off the fund with a joint $1 million donation.

ASCAP Emergency Relief Fund

Announced Wednesday (Jan. 15), the $1 million fund is designed “to assist ASCAP composer and songwriter members in the Los Angeles area who have suffered loss or damage to their primary residence or studio, or been evacuated from their homes as a result of the LA fires.” ASCAP will provide one-time stipends in the amount of $1,500 to ASCAP writer members in good standing as of Jan. 1, 2025, “who does not have a resignation notice pending.” The stipends will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis while funds are available. You can apply for relief here.

We Are Moving the Needle Microgrants Wildfire Relief Fund

Launched on Thursday (Jan. 9), the fund is designed to support “early and mid-career producers, engineers, and creators who have lost studio space or gear” in the wildfires. Those looking to apply (or those wishing to donate) can go here.

Entertainment Community Fund

Emergency financial assistance from the Entertainment Community Fund is open to “eligible performing arts and entertainment professionals” who are “in times of unexpected critical need.” It can help with “basic living expenses” including health care and housing. On its website, the fund notes that applicants impacted by the L.A. wildfires will be asked “to upload a list of documents. If you do not have access to these documents, upload a blank file. Once we receive the application, we will work with you to complete the application.” You can apply for relief here.

Backline

Mental health non-profit Backline is sharing resources for musicians in Los Angeles via social media and offering its own services. “Know that Backline is here for you and that you are not alone,” the organization wrote on Instagram. “You can reach out to us via our case submission form and a Case Manager will contact you to help you get the long-term support you need. If you need immediate assistance, please reach out to the Disaster Distress Hotline for free 24/7 support by calling 1-800-985-5990.”

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, the non-profit helping musicians and music industry workers in need, has launched a natural disaster relief fund for those in Los Angeles County and the surrounding areas. Applications are also open for those seeking relief, with funds raised going toward loss of music-related equipment, medical bills related to the fires and other vital living expenses.

Head here to donate or fill out an application.

Guitar Center Music Foundation

The Guitar Center Music Foundation has announced on its website that it is offering support to L.A.-area musicians and music programs affected by the devastating fires. Eligible individuals can apply for a one-time grant to help replace instruments lost or damaged in the fires. Applications are open through Feb. 28. To apply, visit the link here.

NAMM

The NAMM Foundation has pledged $50,000 and is welcoming further donations via its website. The fund aims to provide needs-based assistance to NAMM members, employees of NAMM member companies, music education programs and music professionals impacted by the fires. The foundation said it is currently assessing the needs of the affected community and will announce details about the distribution process and application guidelines in the near future. NAMM president and CEO said in a statement released on Thursday (Jan. 9) that the 2025 NAMM Show will go on as planned Jan. 21-25 in Anaheim, currently 60 millions southeast of the wildfires. “NAMM will continue to monitor the situation daily as the winds calm down and fires are contained,” he said.

Fender

The guitar maker has invited musicians who lost instruments or gear in the wildfires to submit details of their losses on the company’s website. Fender promises to “respond and help replenish requests to the best of our abilities.” Submit details here.

As multiple devastating wildfires continue to spread through the greater Los Angeles region, music and music-related events — including several tied to the current film awards season in the city — are being canceled or postponed out of both safety concerns and respect for the unfolding situation.

As postponement and cancellation announcements continue to come through, we’re keeping track with the updating list below. (These are listed in descending order of announcement, so you can find the latest cancellations at the top.)

Music professionals impacted by the wildfires can find relief resources here. Those looking for ways to help can navigate here.

Downtown Grammy Brunch

The company canceled its Grammy Week brunch scheduled for Jan. 30 and noted it would be partnering with the event’s host, Kimpton La Peer Hotel, to donate to MusiCares, which is assisting music professionals impacted by the fires.

YouTube Pamoja – A Celebration of African Music & Culture

YouTube Music canceled its Grammy Week event celebrating African music and culture that had been scheduled for Feb. 1. “It is our goal to find a time in the future to bring our family of artists and partners together to honor African Music and the artists and songwriters who move the culture globally,” the company said in a statement.

Amazon Music Lot Party

The company canceled its Grammy Week event, with the resources that would have been used for the party being redirected to MusiCares’ Wildfire Relief Effort.

ASCAP Grammy Brunch in the Garden

The PRO’s Grammy Week event was canceled on Wednesday (Jan. 15). In announcing the cancellation, ASCAP noted that it created an emergency relief fund of $1 million for ASCAP songwriter and composers members in the L.A. area “who have suffered loss or damage to their homes or studios, or been evacuated from their homes as a result of the LA fires.” You can find more information on the fund here.

AIMP Los Angeles Grammy Week Luncheon

The Association of Independent Music Publishers’ (AIMP’s) Grammy Week luncheon, which was set to include a presentation by National Music Publishers’ Association president/CEO David Israelite, has been postponed, with a new date to be announced. “We will be contacting all paid attendees to discuss the options of saving your reservation for the rescheduled event or issuing refunds in the next week,” the AIMP said in a statement.

Clio Music Awards

Clio Music announced Wednesday (Jan. 15) that its annual Grammy Week event, which had been slated for Jan. 30 in Los Angeles, was canceled. A portion of the proceeds from this year’s program will go to MusiCares and It’s Bigger Than Us LA, which are providing immediate and direct relief to people impacted by the wildfires. “When the time is right, we will announce the Grand Clio Music and Of The Year winners on Clios.com and MuseByClios.com and look forward to celebrating the incredible work from 27 countries around the world that has earned this year’s accolades,” said Clio Music in a statement.

Critics Choice Awards

The annual film and TV awards ceremony — which boasted nominees including Miley Cyrus, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Selena Gomez and Maren Morris in the Best Song category — was initially postponed from Sunday (Jan. 12) to Jan. 26 at the Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hangar before being postponed again to early February, with an exact date to be announced. “This unfolding tragedy has already had a profound impact on our community. All our thoughts and prayers are with those battling the devastating fires and with all who have been affected,” said Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin in a statement announcing the first postponement.

Friends ‘N’ Family Grammy Week Party

The annual Grammy Week gathering, held each year on the Paramount Studios lot and set for Jan. 30 this year, was canceled in light of the wildfires, with the funds that would have been used to hold the event instead going to relief efforts for wildfire victims.

The Core Grammy Kick-Off Party

Multi-faceted music company The Core Entertainment postponed its Grammy Week kick-off party slated for Jan. 27 and said it would “share updated event details as soon as possible.”

Billboard Power 100 Party and Managers to Watch

The two Grammy Week events have been canceled by Billboard, which will turn its focus to fundraising efforts for organizations including California Community Foundation, Pasadena Community Foundation and Baby2Baby. “We are deeply grateful for the first responders, firefighters, and community organizers who have mobilized to protect and serve the city of Los Angeles,” the company said in a statement.

NMPA + Billboard GRAMMY Week Songwriter Awards

The annual Grammy Week show, put on by Billboard and the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), was canceled due to the wildfires. The NMPA SONGS Foundation will support wildfire relief efforts with a donation to MusiCares in lieu of the event.

Burton Cummings at The Novo

The Canada native and former The Guess Who frontman, “who called Los Angeles home for decades,” canceled his Friday (Jan. 17) show at the downtown venue due to the wildfires. Ticketholders can get a refund at the point of purchase.

Young the Giant at The Troubadour

The Southern California rock band’s shows at the Troubadour on Sunday (Jan. 19) and Monday (Jan. 20) have been rescheduled to Sept. 4 and Sept. 5 due to the wildfires.

Calibash at Crypto.com Arena

The Spanish Broadcasting System has announced the postponement of the popular Calibash event at Crypto.com Arena, originally scheduled for Saturday (Jan. 18). “While this decision has been difficult, we recognize the pressing need to focus on the well-being of our community during these challenging times,” the SBS said in a statement. The new date for Calibash will be March 7. All purchased tickets will be honored for the new date.

Resonator Awards

We Are Moving the Needle’s second annual L.A.-based awards show, which celebrates the achievements and contributions of women in music production and engineering, has been postponed from Jan. 28, with a new date to be announced. “So many creators have been displaced and have lost the ability to continue working and, right now, our focus needs to be on helping them rebuild their lives,” said We Are Moving the Needle founder Emily Lazar in a statement on the cancellation. “As an industry, it’s crucial that we rally together to offer support and resources in this time of crisis.”

Max McNown at The Troubadour

The Oregon singer-songwriter’s Troubadour show was rescheduled from Wednesday (Jan. 15) to March 2.

The Weeknd at The Rose Bowl

The Weeknd canceled his Hurry Up Tomorrow album release show, which had been scheduled for Jan. 25 at the Rose Bowl, in light of the wildfires. “Out of respect and concern for the people of Los Angeles County, the Rose Bowl Show has been cancelled and the album date has been postponed to 01.31.25,” The Weeknd wrote via Instagram on Monday (Jan. 13).

BMG Pre-Grammy Party

BMG canceled its annual Grammy Week party, which was set to be held on Jan. 28. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we extend our deepest gratitude to the firefighters and first responders in Los Angeles County who are working tirelessly to contain the fires,” said the company in a statement.

Warner Music Group Grammy Party

Warner Music Group confirmed to Billboard that the company made a decision over the weekend not to hold a Grammy Week party and will instead redirect funds to efforts to combat the wildfires and help those affected by the destruction. The company previously announced it would be making a $1 million donation to support fire relief and rebuilding efforts in the L.A. region via its Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund.

Universal Music Group Grammys 2025 Artist Showcase and Post-Grammy Party

Universal Music Group announced on Monday (Jan. 13) that it would cancel all 2025 Grammy-related events, including its artist showcase and post-Grammy party, and instead “redirect the resources that would have been used for those events to assist those affected by the wildfires.”

Milk & Honey + Reservoir Pre-Grammy Party

Milk & Honey founder/CEO Lucas Keller announced in an Instagram Story on Sunday (Jan. 12) that the companies’ annual pre-Grammy party would be canceled. He added, “It would be tone deaf to celebrate and I hope all other companies will follow suit. Don’t come to town for the Grammy’s and take up hotels that people need desperately. Release your hotel blocks or donate them. In the meantime, if you can, please give money to MusiCares at this link to support wildlife relief. Everything counts.”

Sound Collective Presents at The Troubadour

The Sound Collective Presents show at the Troubadour featuring Lily Brooks O’Briant, Eliza Pryor, Alexis Hana, Easae, Sacha Carlson and The Light was postponed from Monday (Jan. 13) to Jan. 27.

Dogs in a Pile at The Troubadour

The band’s show at the iconic West Hollywood venue was postponed from Saturday (Jan. 11) to Sept. 19, with an additional show added on Sept. 18.

Glaive at Echoplex

The singer-songwriter was forced to cancel his shows at Echoplex scheduled for Friday (Jan. 10) and Saturday (Jan. 11) due to the wildfires, he announced via Instagram Stories on Thursday (Jan. 9).

The John Jorgenson Quintet with Frank Vignola at Smothers Theatre

A performance by the band and jazz guitarist Vignola scheduled for Saturday (Jan. 11) at Pepperdine University’s Smothers Theatre in Malibu was canceled due to the Palisades fire. Ticket buyers were asked to check their emails and voicemails or contact cfabox@pepperdine.edu for more information.

Tommy Emmanuel at Smothers Theatre

A performance by the Australian guitarist scheduled for Thursday (Jan. 9) at Pepperdine University’s Smothers Theatre in Malibu was canceled due to the Palisades fire. Ticket buyers were asked to check their emails and voicemails or contact cfabox@pepperdine.edu for more information.

Cody Fry with Orchestra at Walt Disney Concert Hall

The Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter’s orchestral concert set for Friday (Jan. 10) has been postponed. “A new date and additional information will be communicated to ticketholders via email as soon as it is arranged,” said the LAPhil.

Schumann & Brahms at Walt Disney Concert Hall

The classical concerts featuring Louis Langrée and Sunwook Kim scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Jan. 9-11) have been canceled due to the wildfires. “Your tickets will be automatically refunded to the original method of payment,” said the LAPhil. “Please allow 5-7 business days for your refund to be processed. For further assistance, please contact Audience Services at information@laphil.org or 323 850 2000.”

Nadya Tolokonnikova: Pussy Riot – Punk’s Not Dead

An art opening and performance by the Pussy Riot founder at Los Angeles’ Honor Fraser art gallery has been moved from Fri (Jan. 10) to Saturday (Jan. 18) due to the wildfires, the gallery announced Wednesday (Jan. 8).

ALTer Ego Show at Kia Forum

Alt 98.7 and iHeartRadio announced on Thursday (Jan. 9) that the concert — which was set to feature Cage the Elephant, St. Vincent, Incubus and many more on Jan. 11 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood — had been canceled due to the wildfires. “The devastation from the fires is beyond comprehension,” the statement, which was shared on Instagram, read in part. “We love our city and are putting health and safety first.”

Jeff Arcuri at The Wiltern

Arcuri’s shows scheduled for Wednesday (Jan. 8) and Thursday (Jan. 9) at The Wiltern were rescheduled to Tuesday (Jan. 14) and Wednesday (Jan. 15), the venue announced on Wednesday: “All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new date. For any further ticket inquiries please reach out to point of purchase.”

Quinn Sullivan and Hamish Anderson at The Troubadour

Sullivan and Hamish’s Troubador show scheduled for Thursday (Jan. 9) was postponed, with a new date to be announced, Anderson announced via Instagram Stories. “I’ll have new information to share very soon,” he wrote.

Annika Rose at The Troubadour

The storied West Hollywood venue postponed Rose’s show from Wednesday (Jan. 8) to Jan. 23, the singer-songwriter announced via Instagram Stories. “Let’s prioritize the health and safety of the community and we will get back to live music as soon as it’s safe to do so,” Rose wrote.

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The ABC late-night series canceled its taping Wednesday night (Jan. 8), according to Variety. Scheduled guests included Wicked star Cynthia Erivo and musical guest Victoria Canal.

Bad Bad Hats at The Echo

The indie pop band announced on its Instagram Stories that its show scheduled for Thursday (Jan. 9) at The Echo in Los Angeles’ Echo Park neighborhood has been postponed. “We and the venue have decided to postpone tomorrow’s scheduled show @theechola,” the band wrote on Wednesday (Jan. 8). “The venue will be in touch with you directly with more information. We hope everyone is staying safe. We’ll come back to see you soon.”

Rod Wave at Intuit Dome

The rapper’s concert at Intuit Dome in Inglewood scheduled for Wednesday (Jan. 8) was canceled due to the wildfires, the venue announced on X. “The health and safety of our fans and employees will remain the top priority,” the venue said in a statement. “Tickets will be refunded at the original point of purchase.”

Igor Levit at The Walt Disney Concert Hall

The classical pianist’s concert scheduled for Wednesday (Jan. 8) at the downtown L.A. venue was postponed, with the LAPhil stating on its website, “A new date and additional information will be communicated to ticketholders via email as soon as it is arranged. Tickets for the January 8 concert will be valid for the new date yet to be announced and no action is needed on your part. For other ticket options, including exchange, account credit, donation or refund, please contact Audience Services at information@laphil.org or 323 850 2000.”

Oscar Nominations Announcement

On Wednesday (Jan. 8), Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences CEO Bill Kramer announced that the nominations voting window for the 97th annual Oscars would be extended two days to Tuesday (Jan. 14) due to the wildfires and that the Oscars Nominations Announcement would also move from Jan. 17 to Jan. 19. “We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California,” said Kramer in a statement. “So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.”

Wicked sing-along screening

A special screening of the musical blockbuster hosted by the film’s composer John Powell and including an audience of background vocalists and behind-the-camera talent from the movie was canceled. It had been set to take place at the Universal Studios backlot.

Better Man premiere

Paramount Pictures canceled the L.A. premiere of its forthcoming Robbie Williams biopic Better Man on Wednesday (Jan. 8), with a studio spokesperson stating, “Due to the dangerous conditions affecting Los Angeles we are canceling tomorrow’s premiere of ‘Better Man.’ Our thoughts are with those impacted by the devastating fires resulting from these conditions, and we encourage everyone to stay safe and follow guidance and orders from local officials and government agencies.”

Unstoppable premiere

A red-carpet screening of the wrestling drama starring Jennifer Lopez set for the DGA in West Hollywood on Tuesday night (Jan. 7) was also canceled due to the fires. “In light of today’s safety concerns around heightened wind activity and fire outbreaks in Los Angeles, we regret to inform you that we are canceling tonight’s premiere of ‘Unstoppable,'” said the studio in a statement. “As much as we were looking forward to celebrating this wonderful and inspiring film with you, safety is our first priority. We encourage everyone to watch ‘Unstoppable’ on Prime Video, which will be available globally on January 16. Thank you for your understanding and please stay safe.”

Emilia Perez music event

An event in Hollywood to celebrate the music of the Netflix film starring Selena Gomez that was set to be attended by songwriters/composers Camille & Clément and star Karla Sofía Gascón was canceled by the streamer.

A Complete Unknown screening and dinner

A screening and dinner for the Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothee Chalamet set to take place at the San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood on Thursday (Jan. 9) was postponed.

American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts

The ceremony, which celebrates individuals in 14 filmmaking categories from the past year, including music, was postponed from Thursday (Jan. 9) at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre, with a new date to be announced later. “We have made the decision to postpone tomorrow’s (January 9th) Tribute to the Crafts at the Egyptian due to the dangerous ongoing fires and wind conditions. We will update you on a new date as soon as we know,” said a statement released by the organization.

Selena Gomez’s Rare Pop Up

A pop-up event slated from Friday to Sunday (Jan. 10-12) at Complex LA to celebrate five years of Gomez’s Rare album was postponed.

As part of our continuing efforts to serve the music industry and its creators, Billboard Pro now features a music industry events calendar for readers.

The calendar will act as music’s most complete summary major national and international industry events, from conferences to festivals to networking mixers and more. Just as Billboard is music’s must-read source for news, charts and analysis, now it also is the go-to for business happenings.

January 2025

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October 2025

Want your event listed? For more information contact joe.maimone@billboard.com.

Lil Baby isn’t letting up.

The Atlanta rapper recently dropped off the deluxe version of his fourth solo album WHAM and is planning on releasing another project entitled Dominique some time in February. He’s also mentioned working on a tape with Future, but made sure to mention Young Thug may be involved in what they had planned.

Baby confirmed to Complex that he’s also been working on new music with the aforementioned Thugger. “We’ve been in the studio together [every day] almost since he came home. So we got tons of songs,” he said. “Me and Future were also going to drop a project, but it was Thug’s idea. The whole time while he’s locked up, I’m talking to him and trying to talk about the trial. He’s like, “You need to get with Pluto and drop the tape with Pluto.” I’m trying to talk about the trial. He ain’t even tripping. He’s like, “Bro, go to Miami. You need to lock in with Pluto, y’all need to drop an album. Do that for me.”

However, he revealed the album might feature all three rappers instead of two separate projects. “There probably won’t be a me and Future tape anymore because Thug is back. So, whatever it would be, it’ll be all three of us.” Adding, [And that’s] super exciting, because to me, those are two of the main people that I would say I look up to in the rap game. So to be able to spar with them, I feel like that’s sharpened me up a whole lot.”

WHAM is Lil Baby’s fourth No. 1 album, but what may be more impressive is that his album blocked Bad Bunny from taking the top spot.