Don’t Blame Congress for the Government Shutdown: An Open Letter to America

By Alex Rinear on October 16, 2013

Guest contributor Alex Rinear argues that the government shutdown is ultimately the fault of the American people — particularly those who decline to vote. He calls on Americans to show up, be heard, and change Congress in 2014.

CMJ Day 1: The Future of Festivals is in the Experience

By Jane Henderson on

Our Director of Artist Relations takes on day 1 of CMJ, and gains some insights about the past, present, and future of music festivals as they explode in popularity.

“Voting Tiers” to Create Classes of Voters

By Angela Linneman on October 10, 2013

Two tiers of voting are set to create two classes of voter in Arizona and Kansas, in reaction to a Supreme Court ruling that attempted to enforce federal regulations over state registration requirements.

Inside the Shutdown: Week 2 Begins

By Chris Reed on October 7, 2013

As the second week of the government shutdown begins, our D.C. team leader reflects on how this looks to a seasoned federal employee, and what it’s like to live in a city that “seems to be in chaos.”

As Two Lawsuits Challenge Voting Laws, Florida Prepares a New Purge

By Angela Linneman on October 3, 2013

Election officials don’t seem too afraid of the DOJ or Eric Holder, who’s pledged to fight voter discrimination wherever he finds it. While he gears up for a legal challenge to North Carolina’s law, Florida builds its next purge of the voter rolls, and it’s Republican purge vs. Democrat lawsuit in Virginia.

Inside the Shutdown: Day 2

By Chris Reed on October 2, 2013

Our D.C. Team Leader fears the worst as he digs in for what could be a very long furlough, and offers insight as to how this shutdown is — and isn’t — affecting public opinion.

Inside the Shutdown: Day 1

By Chris Reed on October 1, 2013

Our D.C. Team Leader, a furloughed government employee, takes us inside the government shutdown — and what it means to those affected.

Pussy Riot Prisoner’s “Slavery-like Conditions” and the Limits of Political Speech

By Angela Linneman on September 27, 2013

Pussy Riot’s Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, imprisoned since 2012 for a musical act of political protest, has written an open letter detailing rampant abuses in the Russian penal colony where, after attempting to officially complain of illegal conditions, she has now resorted to a hunger strike.

Participation Row Pays Off

By Andy Bernstein on September 26, 2013

HeadCount KNOWS non-profit villages at music festivals, so when we got asked to run one for the Lockn’ festival, we knew good things would happen. But we never expected things would go so well there’d be a freakin’ ceremony!

The Soundtrack of Change

By Stephanie Lavallato on September 20, 2013

Protest songs aren’t dead — far from it. They’re experiencing a resurgence as musicians are getting more involved in the biggest issues of the day.