LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – A coalition of leading nonprofits in the music industry has come together to promote voter participation while integrating advocacy into the lives of artists and music professionals.
The new coalition, MUSIC VOTES, has developed a nonpartisan program to increase voter turnout in the upcoming US elections. The program is designed to be easy to implement and customizable, allowing artists, music companies, venues, and record stores to participate on a large scale.
With less than five months until Election Day, the coalition focuses on three critical aspects of voting: registration, ensuring voters have acceptable forms of ID where necessary, and encouraging voter turnout. By providing simple solutions to these steps, the initiative aims to boost participation, particularly in areas where voter suppression poses a significant risk.
The coalition includes prominent organizations such as HeadCount, Rock the Vote, VoteRiders, and #iVoted Concerts, along with leading cause-based groups like REVERB, TradesForce, Hip Hop Caucus, Propeller, Black Voters Matter, Environmental Voter Project, and Music Declares Emergency US. (The Full list of partners is below.)
MUSIC VOTES was formed and is led by the Music Sustainability Alliance (MSA). Its goal is to simplify how the music industry can make a meaningful impact on elections.
According to Kurt Langer of MSA, the coalition emerged when a group of professionals “came together to support each other’s efforts with a focus on simplifying and streamlining how the music industry at large can have the most impact in this high-stakes election. MUSIC VOTES is the result, and we invite the entire industry to join our nonpartisan coalition.”
The coalition allows artists and industry professionals to participate at their own pace, with options ranging from posting voter registration links to organizing activations with VoteRiders and participating in # iVoted’s election night concerts.
For those interested in specific causes, MUSIC VOTES provides resources on climate change, disability culture, LGBTQIA+ rights, and racial and reproductive justice.
The coalition also offers custom data optimization to increase participants’ effectiveness throughout Music Votes’ 3-steps, developed with Johns Hopkins University’s SNF Agora Institute, whose mission is to strengthen global democracy. Says #iVoted CEO Emily White: “We’re able to analyze the data on the top trending artists in any location to determine which artists have the largest civic impact unique to each city and state. By comparing the artists’ fan demographics with local voter files, we can show which artists will increase voter registration and turnout the most.” The group is also developing a tool to show where any artist can have the largest civic impact by location.
One goal of MUSIC VOTES is to show not just how to vote but why.
“Why does voting matter? I simply believe that your voice shapes the future,” said recording artist and Hip Hop Caucus Artist Relations Director Dawn Richard, formerly of Danity Kane. “When you vote, you’re participating in democracy, ensuring that your opinions, values, and concerns are represented. It’s a fundamental right and responsibility that empowers you to hold leaders accountable and contribute to society’s collective direction. Your vote is not just a mark on a ballot; it’s a powerful tool for change and progress.”
MUSIC VOTES Coalition Partners
#iVoted Concerts – #iVoted increases turnout by producing data-driven concerts on election night and during early voting periods that the public enters with a selfie from outside their polling place or at home with a blank and unmarked ballot. The org books the top trending artists by location & optimizes this data with the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University to show which and where artists increase civic impact the most.
Black Voters Matter—Black Voters Matter’s goal is to increase power in marginalized, predominantly Black communities. We believe that effective voting allows a community to determine its own destiny. We agree with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words, “Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”
Environmental Voter Project – The Environmental Voter Project turns non-voting environmentalists into consistent voters.
Grounded.org – Grounded.org unites culture, philanthropy, nonprofits, brands, and other mission-aligned organizations to accelerate climate solutions through high-impact campaigns.
HeadCount – HeadCount is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that harnesses the power of music, culture and digital media to register voters and inspire participation in democracy.
Hip Hop Caucus—The Hip Hop Caucus uses the power of our cultural expression to empower communities that are first and worst impacted by racial, economic, and environmental injustices. Through our Respect My Vote platform, we help BIPOC communities and returned citizens, often overlooked, get educated, mobilized, and registered to vote on the issues that matter to them, as spoken to by the artists and influencers they follow.
Music Declares Emergency US—Music Declares Emergency US’s mission is to inspire artists, music industry professionals and organizations to stand together and declare a climate and ecological emergency and call for an immediate governmental response to protect all life on Earth. We believe in the power of music to activate fans and accelerate the cultural change needed to create a sustainable future.
Music Sustainability Alliance (MSA)—MSA is the music industry’s green business alliance, working toward a more sustainable, effective and invested music industry for a greener planet. MSA acts primarily as a convener, bringing together community members to reduce waste and emissions within the industry and providing tools and resources for the industry to increase climate awareness and action among its fans.
NOISE FOR NOW – NOISE FOR NOW is a national initiative that enables artists and entertainers to connect with and financially support grassroots organizations that work in the field of Reproductive Justice, including abortion access. By organizing benefit events and campaigns, NOISE FOR NOW provides opportunities for artists and entertainers to use their talent to raise money and send a clear message that Reproductive Rights are human rights.
Pizza to the Polls—Pizza to the Polls is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization whose mission is to deliver free food to people participating in civic life. From long lines at polling places to nonpartisan events focused on voter education, registration, and turnout, Pizza to the Polls aims to bring joy back to the democratic process.
Propeller – Propeller exists to inspire activism and help build movements for change. As a leading digital platform building fan communities around causes, Propeller connects individuals with meaningful actions and issues, amplifying their voices to create measurable impact. By leveraging partnerships with influential artists, brands, and nonprofits, Propeller engages millions in campaigns that drive social progress and empower communities. With a commitment to fostering civic participation, Propeller is dedicated to mobilizing voters to not only register but show up and make their voices heard in the 2024 elections
RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities) is a professional platform equipping the music and live entertainment industry with disability-inclusive tools, programming and strategy. RAMPD also connects the industry to a global directory of peer-vetted music/sound creators and industry professionals with disabilities, neurodivergence and other chronic or mental health conditions to find sources and hire—bringing competitive opportunities, visibility and community to our Professional Members while offering disability inclusion to Industry/Venue partners.
REVERB – Leading the green music movement since 2004, REVERB partners with artists, festivals, and venues to reduce their environmental footprint while empowering millions of fans to take action on today’s most pressing environmental and social issues.
Rock the Vote – Rock the Vote is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to empowering young people through voter registration, education and mobilization. For over thirty years, we have revolutionized the use of culture and technology to drive civic engagement and break down barriers to participation.
ShowUp – ShowUp is a platform created to help drive and support activism in the music industry. Working directly with artists, labels, distributors, promoters, and partners across the industry ecosystem, ShowUp is designed to help artists integrate activism into release and touring strategies and create strategic partnerships that amplify the reach, engagement, and fundraising capacity of an artist’s advocacy. ShowUp’s partnership base includes The Orchard, ADA, Downtown, EMPIRE, and Symphonic.
Support+Feed – Support+Feed combats the climate crisis and food insecurity by working toward a global shift to an equitable, plant-based food system.
The Ally Coalition – Founded in 2013 by Jack Antonoff (Bleachers) and fashion designer Rachel Antonoff, TAC is committed to bettering the lives of LGBTQ youth through tours, campaigns and partnerships, providing support to organizations serving LGBTQ Youth. TAC partners with artists and uses their platforms to raise awareness of the systemic inequalities facing the LGBTQ population and activate prominent members of the creative community and their fan bases to engage with these issues in meaningful and impactful ways.
TradesForce – TradesForce is on a mission to recruit one million new clean energy workers across the U.S. by partnering with artists to register workers for high-paid skilled trades jobs. Through tours, festivals, and powerful storytelling, join us in raising the profile of trade heroes, connecting more workers to paid training, and increasing access to high-paying jobs in America’s booming clean energy economy.
VoteRiders – VoteRiders is the nation’s leading nonpartisan organization focused on the increasingly crucial issue of voter ID. We provide voter ID education and free ID assistance to ensure every eligible voter can cast a ballot that counts.
Well Dunn Foundation – The Well Dunn Foundation provides inclusive and equitable professional experiences and financial assistance to students from socioeconomic and diverse backgrounds through mentorship, job shadowing, internships, and job placement opportunities.
