The tragic events that recently happened in Orlando, including the largest mass shooting in U.S. history and the murder of Voice contestant Christina Grimmie, has spawned more than 150 musicians to sign an open letter to Congress to petition for an end to gun violence.
Billboard magazine penned and organized the letter to Congress, and Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor, and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke are the most recent to sign. Other artists who have already signed and supported the letter include, Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Stevie Nicks, Beck, Iggy Pop, Mike McCready, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kid Cudi, and Michael Stipe.
The letter reads,“As leading artists and executives in the music industry, we are adding our voices to the chorus of Americans demanding change”. It also informs us how serious this issue has become, “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.”
Other artists that have also signed and backed the Billboard letter are Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, Pusha T, Vic Mensa, Common, Cher, Questlove, Zayn Malik, Barbra Streisand, Calvin Harris, and more (full list below).
The letter highlights one factor to the reoccurring shootings, “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”. The letter calls on Congress to do more, “We call on Congress to do more to prevent the gun violence that kills more than 90 Americans every day and injures hundreds more,” and specifically asks Congress to:
- Require a background check for every gun sale
- Block suspected terrorists from buying guns
Full List of Artists who have signed the Billboard Letter:
Adam Lambert
Adam Levin (X Ambassadors)
Akiva Schaeffer
Alan Gilbert (NY Philharmonic)
Alanis Morissette
Alex Pall (The Chainsmokers)
Alicia Keys
Andrew Bird
Andy Samberg
Angel Coleman
Barbra Streisand
Beck
Bill Kreutzmann (Dead & Company)
Billy Joel
Bo Koster (My Morning Jacket)
Bob Weir (Dead & Company)
Bonnie Raitt
Brad Delson (Linkin Park)
Brendon Urie (Panic at the Disco)
Britney Spears
Butch Walker
Calvin Harris
Cam
Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket)
Carole King
Casey Harris (X Ambassadors)
Charlie Puth
Cher
Chester Bennington (Linkin Park)
Christina Aguilera
Christina Perri
Conan O’Brien
Courtney Love
Cyndi Lauper
Demi Lovato
Diplo
Drew Taggart (The Chainsmokers)
Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam)
Elle King
Ellen DeGeneres
Elvis Costello
Emily Robison (Dixie Chicks)
Eric Hutchinson
Fher Olvera (Maná)
Glenn Kotche (Wilco)
Gregory Porter
Halsey
Iggy Pop
Jack Antonoff
Jackson Browne
James Corden
Jason Mraz
Jean Michel Jarre
Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam)
Jeff Chimenti (Dead & Company)
Jeff Tweedy (Wilco)
Jennifer Lopez
Jim James (My Morning Jacket)
Joan Jett
Joe Hahn (Linkin Park)
Joe Jonas
John Mellencamp
John Stirratt (Wilco)
Jorge Hernandez (Los Tigres del Norte)
Josh Groban
Julia Michaels
Justin Tranter
Kaskade
Katy Perry
K.D. Lang
Kelly Rowland
Kesha
Kid Cudi
Lady Gaga
Lecrae
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Macklemore
Mark Ronson
Martie Maguire (Dixie Chicks)
Matisyahu
Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam)
Meghan Trainor
Melissa Etheridge
Michael Bublé
Michael Stipe
Mickey Hart (Dead & Company)
Mikael Jorgensen (Wilco)
Mike D
Mike McCready (Pearl Jam)
Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park)
My Morning Jacket
Natalie Maines (Dixie Chicks)
Nate Reuss
Nick Jonas
Nicky Jam
Pat Monahan
Pat Sansone (Wilco)
Patrick Hallahan (My Morning Jacket)
Paul McCartney
Pete Wentz
Peter Tork
Prince Royce
Pusha T
Questlove
Ricky Martin
Ringo Starr
Rivers Cuomo
Rob Bourdon (Linkin Park)
Rob Thomas
Rosanne Cash
Rufus Wainwright
Ryan Leslie
Ryan Lewis
Sam Harris (X Ambassadors)
Sara Bareilles
Selena Gomez
Shakira
Sia
Stevie Nicks
Sting
Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam)
Talib Kweli
Terence Blanchard
Thom Yorke
Tom Blankenship (My Morning Jacket)
Tony Bennett
Tori Amos
Trent Reznor
Troye Sivan
Vic Mensa
Wayne Coyne
Yoko Ono
Zayn Malik
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