Numerous Rock Acts Accept Stimulus Money for Postponed Tours
July 8, 2020 9:54AM CDT
- While a lot of the media’s attention has been on Kanye West’s acceptance of a Paycheck Protection Program loan, it turns out he wasn’t the only musician to get stimulus money that was earmarked to help small businesses survive the pandemic.
- Small Business Administration documents reveal several bands have taken out loans as compensation for their postponed tours, including Guns N’ Roses, the Eagles, Pearl Jam, Disturbed and Green Day. The biggest checks went to Pearl Jam, the Eagles and Disturbed, each of whom received between $350,000 and $1 million, the documents reveal. Most other acts received between $150,000 and $350,000.
- Among the other acts that applied for and received stimulus money were the Chainsmokers, Cheap Trick, Imagine Dragons, Nickelback, Papa Roach, Tool, 311 and Weezer, according to the Small Business Administration.
- Even if this money was used to pay crew members, was it right for these multi-million dollar acts to take money that should be used to help small businesses? Are U.S. citizens going to end up paying for all this in the long run?