As touring costs continue to skyrocket, experienced touring musicians Craig A. Meyer and Gary Arbuthnot have teamed up to launch GigLogic, a platform for artists to determine the financials of a show before accepting a gig.

GigLogic evaluates the price of commissions for management and booking agents, taxes, travel, lodging, and any other expenses that go into making a show happen, in an effort to allow artists and their teams to better budget and evaluate whether a show is worth traveling to.

“For decades, performers have been taught to focus on getting the gig,” Meyer says in a statement to Billboard. “Very few have been taught how to evaluate whether the gig is actually good business. As touring costs continue to rise, that’s becoming a much more important conversation. We built GigLogic because artists deserve the same level of financial visibility that businesses in other industries take for granted.”

Meyer comes in with 20 years of touring experience, having been on the road as an Elton John tribute performer in shows including Remember When Rock Was Young — The Elton John Experience and Piano Men: A Tribute to Elton John & Billy Joel. Arbuthnot has toured as a flautist.

On the platform, artists can input the details of a potential gig, after which GigLogic will build customized cost profiles and projected earnings. While artists and their teams often create budgets using spreadsheets and estimates, GigLogic says its platform helps to streamline the process.

“One of the biggest misconceptions in live entertainment is that a bigger paycheck automatically means a better opportunity,” Arbuthnot adds in a statement. “It doesn’t. An artist can be busier than ever, bringing in more revenue than ever, and still be struggling financially if they don’t understand their true costs. Sustainable careers are built on profitability, not just activity.”

In May, Warner Music Group quietly completed a test program that could change the future of vinyl. 

The program, conducted in partnership with the world’s largest vinyl manufacturer, GZ Media, set out to answer one question: can recycled vinyl deliver the same sound quality?

GZ Media collected 10,000 unsold records across artists, titles and pressing plants throughout Europe and first shredded, then repressed them using a range of recyclable materials — from 10-100%. Next, a selection of industry experts were gathered at London’s famed Abbey Road Studios for a blind listening evaluation. Each vinyl passed.

“What impressed me was how consistent the pressings were across the different material blends, showing that sustainability and sound quality do not have to be at odds,” Abbey Road’s mastering engineer, Miles Showell, shared in a statement to WMG.

The recycled pressings weren’t just being evaluated for quality, though, as the project also aimed to evaluate the environmental impact of preprocessing vinyl. Even with the added steps of transport, warehousing, sorting and shredding — all of which impact the product carbon footprint (PCF) — carbon emissions dropped 10% from using recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC, from which vinyl is pressed) compared to fresh materials. 

Now, on Friday (June 26) WMG will double down on its mission with a first-of-its-kind vinyl take-back program, which invites consumers to help recover unwanted vinyl. A group of 11 indie retailers across the country — including in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and New York — will serve as collection locations before handing the vinyl over to Virterras Materials, a company that helps recycle “complex waste,” such as plastics and rubber. 

“Independent record stores have long served as gathering places for music fans and stewards of music culture,” Madeleine Smith, WMG’s senior director of environmental, social and governance, shared in a statement. “[This is] a vital first step in understanding what’s possible.”

The pilot will run through September. For a complete list of participating independent record stores, see below.

Amoeba Hollywood (Los Angeles, CA)

Antone’s Record Shop (Austin, TX)

Country Line Records (Keller, TX)

Criminal Records (Atlanta, GA)

Easy Street Records (Seattle, WA)

Home Rule Records (Washington D.C.)

Red Zeppelin Records (McKinney, TX)

Rough Trade NYC (New York City, NY)

Spin Me Round (Easton, PA)

Reckless Records (Chicago, IL)

Sweat Records (Miami, FL)

Opening night of Lionel Richie’s Sing a Song All Night Long Tour didn’t go as planned, as the veteran singer called time early after apparently feeling unwell.

The Rock Hall-inducted singer announced an unexpected intermission almost an hour into the show Wednesday night, June 24 at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, The Minnesota Star Tribune reports. He didn’t return.

Just moments before, he told the audience he was feeling shaky on his feet while performing one of his uptempo numbers, the ‘80s classic “Dancing On The Ceiling.” Fan-filmed footage shows Richie taking an unscheduled rest on a step, persevering and trying to walk it off, then sitting again. “When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your ass down,” he reportedly said.

Richie is understood to have performed one more song, the ballad “Three Times a Lady,” only this time at the piano.

Following his exit from stage, Richie’s five band members reportedly stayed onstage, while pre-recorded music played softly over the sound system.

Then, at about 10:50 p.m., or 40 minutes after Richie had called for intermission, the title reports, saxophonist Dino Soldo broke the bad news. “Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well,” he reportedly told the audience. “He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available.”

The 26-date North America tour, with support from Earth, Wind & Fire, is due to continue Friday night, June 26 at United Center in Chicago, IL. At the time of writing, the status of that concert remains unclear.

Richie, now 77, released a new memoir last year titled Truly. In its pages, the veteran singer takes readers through his humble beginnings growing up in Tuskegee, Ala., during the Civil Rights movement, to his adventures as a member of The Commodores and his time spent growing up in 1960s Harlem. From there, Richie shares his highs, like being signed to Motown at just 19 years old alongside The Jackson Five, writing and recording “We Are the World” (a story told in the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop), the fear and excitement he felt going solo, and now, serving as a judge on American Idol.

Richie’s 2025 tour Say Hello to the Hits Tour was a hit, grossing $17.8 million with 118,000 ticket sales across 25 dates in Europe and Las Vegas, according to Billboard’s year-end Boxscore charts. That result was good enough for a top 10 spot among the highest grossing R&B tours of the year, coming in at No. 9.

Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) has announced a new round of speakers for its 2026 ADE Pro conference, with Josh Baker, Mochakk, Busy P, and Orbital‘s Paul Hartnoll among the latest additions to the event’s 30th anniversary edition.

The newly announced participants join previously revealed speakers including electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre, who will serve as ADE Pro’s Guest of Honor, along with Mosimann, Novah and LYZZA. The conference takes place Oct. 21 – 25 in the Dutch capital and is recognized as one of electronic music’s largest global industry gatherings.

This year’s conference program is curated around three central themes: market consolidation and the future of independence, rebuilding the music industry’s relationship with big tech and collective action. The event will also spotlight Brazil, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and sub-Saharan Africa as key growth regions for electronic music.

Brazilian artists Mochakk and Solarce Brothers join the program as part of ADE’s broader focus on the country’s expanding influence in the global electronic music market. Elsewhere, Manchester-based producer and label owner Josh Baker will discuss how artists are increasingly building businesses beyond music through labels, festivals and education platforms.

Ed Banger Records founder Pedro Winter, better known as Busy P, and Because Music founder Emmanuel de Buretel will unpack their long-running partnership and the future of independent music companies. Hartnoll will appear on a panel titled The Ethics of the Sample: Collaboration, Consent and Credit Across Cultures, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Orbital’s seminal 1996 album In Sides.

Other newly-announced guests include SPFDJ, Pegassi, Mathame, Gideon Berger, Sarah Williams and Coldcut co-founder Matt Black. More speakers and sessions for ADE Pro 2026 will be announced in the coming months.

The 2025 edition of the conference featured appearances from British rapper Skepta, plus DJs Hannah Laing, Joris Voorn, Chris Stussy and Armin van Buuren. In an on-the-ground report, Billboard U.K. described ADE as “a diverse and fun-loving hub of creativity in Europe,” noting that Amsterdam was “totally taken over by the 600,000 fans and 10,000 music industry professionals who live and breathe electronic music.” 

Alison Wonderland has no shortage of tales to tell the grandkids. The Australian EDM star etched her name in the history books when, in 2018, she headlined Coachella, becoming the first female DJ to do so in what was her fourth performance in the California desert.

She’s prouder still of her seven-times headlining the “Temple of Wonderland” at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. And there’s been headline slots at Lollapalooza’s Perry’s Stage, and appearances at Tomorrowland, Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, and Life Is Beautiful. The Sydneysider has shifted more than 800,000 headline ticket sales across her U.S. tours alone. Global streams of her music top 1.1 billion.

On Thursday evening, June 25, perhaps a moment to stand among her finest; Wonderland has been invited to present the match ball for Australia’s final Group D round match with Paraguay in the FIFA World Cup Finals, which kicks off 10pm ET at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.

“OH MY GDDD I just got asked by ADIDAS to BRING OUT THE MATCH BALL TO THE FIELD FOR THE AUSTRALIA VS PARAGUAY MATCH TOMORROW,” she writes on her socials. “I’ll wave to you all from the TV. WISH ME LUCK (have been in the studio all day so had to process haha ).”

An overjoyed Wonderland shared several snaps from the studio. In each shot, she’s wearing her Aussie green and gold Adidas track pants. One apparently captures the surreal moment she read the email with the once-in-a-lifetime request.

The Australian Socceroos will hope Wonderland (real name: Alexandra Sholler) is a good luck charm. To progress in the tournament, Australia must win or draw against the South American team. Losing isn’t an option.

The timing is perfect. Wonderland is currently on tour in the United States, the final date of which is set for this Saturday, June 27 at Foam Wonderland in Las Vegas, NV. Then, she takes her show on the road to for performances in the United Kingdom and Europe, getting underway July 10 with the Wonderland Warehouse Rave in London, all of it in support of her fourth studio album, Ghost World (via EMI). 

Speaking with Billboard ahead of her latest tour, Wonderland remarked: “I’m a perfectionist. Someone said something a long time ago, you can tell everyone you put everything into this body of work but at the end of the day the only person who will know if you really went there will be you. It sits with me and haunts me anytime I make anything. I think it’s why I push myself so hard. I think about it all the time to this day.”

Collaborators on her latest album, which dropped in December 2025, include Nina Wilson, better known as EDM producer and artist Ninajirachi, plus DJ Dave and Erick The Architect. Wonderland produced the collection with Dylan Ragland, MEMBA and QUIX. Ghost World was mixed by Tom Norris and Tristan Hoogland and mastered by Dale Becker.

Only two days before it was set to kick off, Country Thunder Alberta in Calgary has been cancelled.

Headliners for the June 26-28 festival were The Red Clay Strays, Kane Brown and Lainey Wilson, with the bill also including Cameron Whitcomb, Tyler Hubbard, Ian Munsick, Mark Chesnutt, Noeline Hofmann and Elizabeth Nichols, among others.

Organizers posted on social media on Wednesday (June 24), “Today, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Country Thunder Alberta 2026,” citing issues with the city of Calgary for the late cancellation. “Active construction, loss of critical infrastructure and a restrictive noise bylaw made safe and enjoyable execution of the festival impossible,” the post stated, noting that the festival had been in contact with the city to resolve the challenges, but have not been able to.

The festival was still touting its arrival on socials as recently as Tuesday (June 23), posting images of the main stage and trucks loading in equipment.

Organizers went into more detail on the festival website. “For several months, Country Thunder has been in direct communication with the City of Calgary in an effort to resolve a series of escalating infrastructure and regulatory challenges tied to the new arena development. Despite sustained advocacy, the following conditions remain unresolved,” the statement said, listing several impediments, including the installation of a water bypass pipe that made sections of the festival site unusable. Scotia Place, a $1.2 billion event center that will be the new home to the NHL’s Calgary Flames, is under construction and will open in fall, 2027.

“We do not take this decision lightly,” said Kim Blevins, Country Thunder’s executive director, in a statement on the site. “Our fans travel from across the country to be part of this experience and we owe them an event they can enjoy fully. The city-driven conditions in Calgary this year make that impossible. Proceeding would have meant compromising on not only safety but also the fan experience and that is not something we are willing to do. We want our fans to feel the music, lose themselves in it and leave having had the experience they paid for. The new sound limitations placed on this event would not have allowed us to deliver that experience.”

All fans will receive a full refund.

Country Thunder Alberta is one of five festivals under the Country Thunder banner. The other festivals take place in Florence, Arizona; Clearwater, Florida; Craven, Saskatchewan and Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.