musicThursday, June 25, 2026

Phoebe Bridgers goes phones-free at MSG

Phoebe Bridgers played a surprise phones-free show at Madison Square Garden, debuting eight unreleased songs. The move is a rare, intentional break from the concert-as-content-machine, and it dominated music conversation today alongside Leonard Cohen's estate pre-emptively blocking Trump from using 'Hallelujah.'

Sources

Live and unplugged

Two stories today push back against the usual concert-industrial complex, one by banning phones and the other by banning a song before it's even played.

#01pitchfork.comJun 25

Going Analog at Phoebe Bridgers’ Phones-Free MSG Show

Phoebe Bridgers' phones-free MSG show is a deliberate experiment in forcing presence over documentation. She played eight unreleased songs, which makes the ban feel less like a gimmick and more like a statement about how new music gets consumed.

by Hattie Lindert6 min readRead original

#02deadline.comJun 25

Leonard Cohen’s Estate Issues A Pre-Event Objection To Use Of ‘Hallelujah’ At Trump’s Freedom 250 Kickoff

Leonard Cohen's estate issued a rare pre-event objection to Trump using 'Hallelujah' at his Freedom 250 kickoff. Most artist objections come after the fact; this proactive move signals a shift in how estates are policing political use of songs.

3 min readRead original

#03www.undertheradar.co.nzJun 25

Darkroom Fundraiser Gig Announced ft. Model Home, Guideless, Karleshia

A fundraiser gig for Ōtautahi's Darkroom venue highlights the precarious state of grassroots music spaces. Model Home, Guideless, and Karleshia are playing to support operators who've clocked over a thousand unpaid hours keeping Canterbury's gig culture alive.

Legal briefs

A couple of legal loose ends tied up today, one with a dropped charge and another with a new certification.

#04www.rollingstone.comJun 25

Charges Dropped Against Bailey Zimmerman After He Allegedly Trashed Hotel Room

Charges were dropped against Bailey Zimmerman for allegedly trashing a hotel room. The case is closed, but the $16,000 damage figure still hangs out there with no explanation.

#05www.koreaherald.comJun 25

Le Sserafim goes platinum in Japan with ‘Crazy’ - The Korea Herald

Le Sserafim's 'Crazy' went platinum in Japan after surpassing 100 million streams. The track also spent time on Billboard's Hot 100, a rare crossover for a K-pop girl group's B-side-turned-title track.