In the early hours of June 13, 49 people were killed during Latin night at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida by a man who legally purchased an assault rifle despite his being on an FBI terror watchlist. Days earlier, an obsessed fan shot and killed singer Christina Grimmie during a post-concert autograph session. Both tragedies occurred where musicians and music fans gathered.
Earlier this week, the Senate failed to pass four separate gun control measures, prompting House Democrats to stage a (still-ongoing as of this posting) sit-in, pushing for a vote on a controversial gun control measure. Today, some 200 artists — icons like Joan Jett and Sting, pop stars like Lady Gaga and Kesha, hip-hop statesmen like Vic Mensa and Questlove, even the unlikely trio of ex-Beatles Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the woman blamed for the bands dissolution Yoko Ono — along with industry execs and Billboard magazine (whose editors organized the effort) published an open letter in a very special issue of Billboard seeking a sane and safe end to gun violence.
An open letter to Congress:
Stop Gun Violence Now
As leading artists and executives in the music industry, we are adding our voices to the chorus of Americans demanding change.Music always has been celebrated communally, on dancefloors and at concert halls. But this life-affirming ritual, like so many other daily experiences—going to school or church or work—now is threatened, because of gun violence in this country.The one thing that connects the recent tragedies in Orlando is that it is far too easy for dangerous people to get their hands on guns.We call on Congress to do more to prevent the gun violence that kills more than 90 Americans every day and injures hundreds more, including:
- Require a background check for every gun sale
- Block suspected terrorists from buying guns
Billboard and the undersigned implore you—the people who are elected to represent us—to close the deadly loopholes that put the lives of so many music fans, and all of us, at risk.
Sincerely,
 Adam Lambert Alan Gilbert, NY Philharmonic Andrew Bird Barbra Streisand Bo Koster, My Morning Jacket Brad Delson, Linkin Park Britney Spears Cameron Strang, Chairman/ CEO, Warner Bros. Records Charlie Puth Christina Aguilera Courtney Love Daniel Ek, Co-Founder/CEO, Spotify Dina LaPolt, Founder, LaPolt Law Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam Emily Robison, Dixie Chicks Glenn Kotche, Wilco Irving Azoff, Chairman/CEO, Azoff Madison Square Entertainment James H. Gosnell, President and CEO, APA Jean-Michel Jarre Jeffrey Harleston Joan Jet John Esposito, PresIdent/CEO, Warner Music Nashville Jorge Hernandez, Los Tigres del Norte Justin Tranter Kelly Rowland L.A. Reid Lin-Manuel Miranda Marc Geiger, Partner/Head of Music, William Morris Endeavor Martin Bandier Matt Cameron, Pearl Jam Michael Rapino, President/CEO, Live Nation Mickey Hart, Dead & Company Mike Dungan Natalie Maines, Dixie Chicks Nicky Jam Patrick Hallahan, My Morning Jacket Peter Tork Questlove Rob Bourdon, Linkin Park Rosanne Cash Ryan Lewis Scooter Braun, Founder, SB Projects Shakira Steve Bartels Sting Terence Blanchard Tom Blankenship, My Morning Jacket Tori Amos Wayne Coyne |
 Adam Leber, Partner, Maverick Alanis Morissette Andy Samberg Beck Bob Weir, Dead & Company Bradford Cobb, Partner, Direct Management Group Butch Walker Carl Broemel, My Morning Jacket Charlie Walk Christina Perri Craig Kallman, Chairman/CEO, Atlantic Records Group Daniel Glass, Founder/President, Glassnote Entertainment Group/Insieme Music Publishing Diplo Elle King Eric Hutchinson Gregory Porter Jack Antonoff Jason Kupperman, Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency Jeff Ament, Pearl Jam Jennifer Lopez Jody Gerson John Janick Josh Groban K.D. Lang Kesha Lady Gaga Sir Lucian Grainge Mark Pinkus, President, Rhino Entertainment Martin Erlichman, Manager, Barbra Streisand Meghan Trainor Michael Stipe Mikael Jorgensen, Wilco Mike McCready, Pearl Jam Nate Reuss Pasquale Rotella CEO/Founder, Insomniac Events Paul McCartney Phil McIntyre, CEO/Founder, Philymack Ricky Martin Rob Light, Partner/Managing Director/Head of Music, Creative Artists Agency Rufus Wainwright Sam Gores, Chairman/CEO, Paradigm Talent Agency Sia Steve Jensen, Partner, Direct Management Group Stone Gossard, Pearl Jam Thom Yorke Tom Corson Trent Reznor Yoko Ono |
 Adam Levin, X Ambassadors Alex Pall, The Chainsmokers Angel Coleman Bill Kreutzmann, Dead & Company Bonnie Raitt Brandon Creed, Manager/The Creed Company Calvin Harris Carole King Cher Chromeo Cyndi Lauper Danny Bennett Doug Morris Ellen DeGeneres Faisel Durrani Halsey Jackson Browne Jason Mraz Jeff Chimenti, Dead & Company Jeremy Zimmer, CEO/Co-Founder, United Talent Agency Joe Hahn, Linkin Park John Mellencamp Julia Michaels Kaskade Kevin Liles, Co-Founder, 300 Entertainment Lecrae Lyor Cohen, CEO/Founder, 300 Entertainment Mark Ronson Martin Kirkup, Partner, Direct Management Group Melissa Etheridge Michele Anthony Mike Caren, CEO, Artist Partners Group; Creative Officer, Warner Music Group Mike Shinoda, Linkin Park Nels Cline, Wilco Pat Monahan Pete Wentz Prince Royce Ringo Starr Rob Thomas Russell Simmons, Hip Hop Mogul & Activist Sam Harris, X Ambassadors Scott Borchetta, President/CEO, Big Machine Label Group Stephen Cooper, CEO, Warner Music Group Steve Levine, Partner/Co-Head of Worldwide Concerts, ICM Partners Stu Bergen, CEO, International and Global Commercial Services, Warner Music Group Tim Westergren, CEO, Pandora Tom Windish, President, The Windish Agency Troye Sivan |
 Akiva Schaeffer Alicia Keys Avery Lipman Billy Joel Boyd Muir Brendon Urie, Panic at the Disco Cam Casey Harris, X Ambassadors Chester Bennington, Linkin Park Conan O’Brien Dan McCarroll, President, Warner Bros. Records Demi Lovato Drew Taggart, The Chainsmokers Elvis Costello Fher Olvera, Maná Iggy Pop James Corden Jay Marciano, COO, AEG; Chairman & CEO, AEG Live Jeff Tweedy, Wilco Jim James, My Morning Jacket Joe Jonas John Stirratt, Wilco Julie Greenwald, Chairman/COO, Atlantic Records Group Katy Perry Kid Cudi Lee Daniels, Director; CEO, Lee Daniels Entertainment Macklemore Martie Maguire, Dixie Chicks Matisyahu Michael Buble Michelle Jubelirer Mike D Monte Lipman Nick Jonas Pat Sansone, Wilco Peter Edge Pusha T Rivers Cuomo Roger Gold, Co-Founder, 300 Entertainment Ryan Leslie, Producer Sara Bareilles Selena Gomez Steve Barnett Stevie Nicks Talib Kweli Todd Moscowitz, Co-Founder, 300 Entertainment Tony Bennett Vic Mensa Zayn Malik |