Enough is enough. That's the message conveyed by Billboard's latest cover. The magazine decided to rally together music's biggest names to take a stand against gun violence. In a powerful display of solidarity, nearly 200 artists signed their names in an open letter to congress that is printed directly on the magazine's cover. It's also worth mentioning the font is in rainbow, a clear tribute to the victims of the Orlando shooting and the LGBT community. Stars ranging from Zayn Malik to Barbra Streisand, Selena Gomez to Questlove, and Kesha to Thom Yorke, joined in. In giant letters, the headline reads: "An Open Letter To Congress, Stop Gun Violence Now." Below, it says,
As leading artists and executives in the music industry, we are adding our voices to the chorus of Americans demanding change.
Surrounding those words, there are signatures from major artists in all genres of music. Two Jonas brothers (Nick and Joe) signed, as did Demi Lovato, the Dixie Chicks, and DJ Khaled. The second page of the cover says, "Billboard and the undersigned implore you — the people who are elected to represent us — to close the deadly loopholes that put the lives of so many music fans, and all of us, at risk." On the magazine's website, they explain that they teamed up with the gun-violence prevention group, Everytown, to reach out to singers and their teams and the project quickly took off.
You can click the image below to enlarge it and see all the names:
I've seen plenty of magazine covers in my lifetime and this is easily one of the most profound. To see so many people come together to speak out is amazing, especially since there's such a range of musicians and the common theme connecting them is a desire for change. The fact that so many felt strongly about the issue and decided to participate sends an equally strong message. It also was a bold move for the magazine, known for featuring photos of artists on the front, to ditch their usual routine and go for a bold, black cover and a major statement. So much respect for their editorial team for going in this direction.
This cover is released around the same time Democrats are hosting a sit-in on the House floor to advocate for stronger gun measures. I'd love to be optimistic and hope that if so many people are taking action, change has to happen. Because really, what will it take to make the general public's opinion more clear? Everyone from politicians to musicians are now demanding something be done to fight gun violence.
If you're interested in taking a stand, like Billboard and the House Democrats, here are six ways you can advocate for gun control. As the magazine conveys, it's time to demand change.
Image: Billboard
