#FightLyme with Avril + Friends
Pop-rocker Avril Lavigne, together with Global Lyme Alliance, have raised funds for The Avril Lavigne Foundation and Global Lyme Alliance to support ongoing efforts to help raise awareness and fund treatment for individuals affected by Lyme disease. #FightLyme with Avril +Friends, hosted by Wilmer Valderrama, brought together celebrities, musical artists and philanthropists for a streaming benefit concert, with performances by Avril Lavigne, Alessia Cara, OneRepublic and Rob Thomas.
System of a Down Release New Music to Aid Armenia
It’s been 15 years since System of a Down released new music. Motivated by the recently erupted conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, with the greatest violence the region has endured in 26 years, “Protect the Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz” lyrically and socially condemn the unrest and call for action. Royalties from the tracks will aid the Armenia Fund. Says singer Serj Tankian, “Put politics aside and support Armenia by sanctioning Turkey and Azerbaijan and recognizing Artsakh.”
Pierce the Veil Frontman’s Living the Dream Foundation
Vic Fuentes, frontman for Pierce the Veil and CEO of Living The Dream Foundation, embraced the reality and implications of COVID-19 by challenging the organization to get creative. Music fans with terminal illnesses have had the opportunity to hang with their favorite band or artists via an intimate one-on-one Zoom chat. LTDF has done virtual #DREAMDAYS with Pierce The Veil, 3Oh!3, Sleeping With Sirens and Cavetown. Their latest with Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins and drummer Brad Hargreaves made one of their biggest fan's dreams come true.
Houston is First Black Artist to Achieve Three Diamond Albums
Whitney, the artist's second studio album, has been certified RIAA Diamond (10x Platinum), joining Whitney Houston and The Bodyguard Soundtrack to make Whitney Houston the first Black recording artist with three Diamond albums in her discography. Released in 1987, Whitney, the follow-up to her multi-Platinum debut, generated five Billboard Top 10 singles, including “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “How Will I Know.” In November, Houston was inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2020. Whitney Houston also holds the Guinness World Record for most awarded female artist of all time.
Sponge on the Run
Three of the industry’s most renowned rappers, Tyga, Swae Lee and Lil Mosey, have teamed up with Billboard Latin’s Producer of the Year, Tainy, to release “Krabby Step” from the official soundtrack for the upcoming animated film The Spongebob Movie: Sponge On The Run. The record was executive produced by Tainy, Albert Hype and NEON16, and will be featured in the film, to be released in 2021. The soundtrack will also include songs from Weezer, MonstaX, Snoop Dogg, The Flaming Lips, Kenny G, Cyndi Lauper and more.
Lift Every Vote
In a final call to all creators, performers, musicians, dancers, poets and artists, Lift Every Vote organized and presented pop-up performances to inspire the country’s greatest-ever voter turnout. The organization was co-founded by Grammy-nominated jazz musician Russell Hall, The Blacksmiths and The Wide Awakes, growing from peaceful grassroots rallies around New York City, fighting for social justice after the murder of George Floyd.
Chromeo Raises $75,000 in Covid-19 Relief
Chromeo debuted their surreal video for “Clorox Wipe,” from their Quarantine Casanova EP, five tracks written and recorded under lockdown and released earlier this year. All net proceeds from EP digital downloads, physical sales and merch have been donated, with $20,000 to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp COVID-19 Relief Fund, plus an additional $30,000 match donation from Clorox. Clorox also pledged an additional $25,000 donation, totaling $75,000 in COVID Relief Fund donations from Chromeo and Clorox.
