'We love you, Cincinnati.' Ice Cube crashes 2025 Music Fest, introduces Earth, Wind & Fire

The Cincinnati Music Festival returned to Paycor Stadium on July 25, bringing the Queen City another night full of unforgettable performances.

Funk, soul and R&B legends, including Earth, Wind & Fire, Anthony Hamilton, Jazmine Sullivan and more, had the crowd on their feet as they took over the Bengals' field Friday night.

Dayton's very own Zapp Band kicked off the show by proving to audiences that "ain't no party like a Zapp Band party." Then, Maroon 5 keyboardist PJ Morton hit the stage doing what he does best: tickling the ivories while crooning to some soulful tunes.

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The Cincinnati Music Festival then transformed into Ladies Night when powerhouse R&B vocalist Jazmine Sullivan graced the stage. Sullivan's signature raspy voice riled up all the scorned women in the stadium as she sang about love, heartbreak and revenge.

Earth, Wind & Fire, dubbed the "greatest band in the world" by Sullivan, brought the house down with their eclectic fusion of soul and funk sounds supported by their approximately nine-person ensemble as fireworks from Great American Ball Park lit up the skies.

For the grand finale, singer, songwriter and actor Anthony Hamilton turned the dial down a few notches with a seemingly endless medley of southern R&B fitting for the festival's sophisticated, older crowd.

The festivities continue at Paycor Stadium on July 26, with headliner LL Cool J and special guest Toni Braxton. But before then, here are the highlights from night two of the 2025 Cincinnati Music Festival .

Cincinnati Music Festival 2025: 5 biggest moments from Paycor Stadium's July 25 show

Ain't no party like a Zapp Band party

The Zapp Band had the stadium pumped up for night two of the Cincinnati Music Festival, energizing the crowd with its unique voice-box technofunk sound and matching light-up suits.

The Dayton band, which became famous in the 1970s, filled its set with a variety of theatrics and gimmicks that thoroughly entertained me. Their performance included multiple costume changes, a harmonica solo, surprise backup dancers dressed as referees, a quick sermon and moment of silence, and an homage to "California Love" by Tupac Shakur, which samples the band's 1982 hit "Dance Floor" and founding member Roger Troutman's 1981 song "So Ruff, So Tuff," according to Genius .

And they did it all while grooving to the band's futuristic synth hits such as "Computer Love," "More Bounce to the Ounce," and "I Want to Be Your Man." The only thing missing was a surprise performance from Cincinnati's own master of funk, Bootsy Collins .

Near the end of their set, the pioneering funk band thanked the Queen City for showing them some love, saying, "Cincinnati knows how to party."

They also told the crowd to make so much noise that they'll "hear you all the way up in Toledo."

PJ Morton takes audiences to church during night two of the Cincinnati Music Festival

Morton is more than just the keyboardist for pop band Maroon 5. He is also a five-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and record producer, which he more than proved to audiences on July 25, while playing a variety of original R&B songs and a few Gospel covers.

Morton talked about winning his fifth Grammy award in 2024 for his song "Good Morning" featuring Susan Carol, which he proceeded to perform live. He also reminisced about collaborating with his hero Stevie Wonder in 2013 on a song called "Only One," which he encapsulated with a performance of the modern classic.

He then closed out his set by singing a powerful duet and engaging in a little vocal sparring with background singer Jazmin Crumley.

Jazmine Sullivan sings to all the scorned ladies at Paycor Stadium

Jazmine Sullivan might have been the only female headliner for the festival on July 25, but the "Insecure" singer made sure that the women in the audience felt represented through her performance.

Sullivan, known for her deep, raspy voice, wide vocal range and emotionally raw lyrics, explored themes of love, revenge, self-worth, male validation and breaking the cycle of acceptance, while performing a compilation of her biggest hits, including "10 Seconds," "Bust Your Windows," "Need U Bad," "Pick Up Your Feelings," "In Love with Another Man," "Lions, Tigers & Bears," "Girl Like Me" featuring H.E.R. and more.

Sullivan's unique blend of contemporary R&B, soul, gospel and reggae influences gave quiet storm , late-night radio vibes, especially as a vibrant orange and red sunset transformed the upbeat evening into a moody night illuminated by smartphone flashlights.

Ice Cube makes a surprise appearance at the Cincinnati Music Festival to introduce Earth, Wind & Fire

Before Earth, Wind & Fire continued the "party in the Nati," legendary rapper and actor Ice Cube surprised fans by appearing on stage to introduce the six-time Grammy-winning band . His unexpected appearance also served as a promotion for his Big3 basketball league , which is scheduled to play games at Heritage Bank Center on July 26, the last night of the Cincinnati Music Festival .

I want to thank everybody for supporting, first of all, supporting me for 40 years in the business," the rapper said. "We love you, Cincinnati. Thank you for hosting the Big3. Thank you for supporting the homeboy Ice Cube. Thank you, P&G. We love y'all.

After Ice Cube welcomed the legendary Chicago band on stage, the nine-member ensemble launched into a non-stop medley of soul and funk jams, including "September," "Fantasy," "Shining Star," "Let's Groove," "That's the Way of the World," "Boogie Wonderland," and more.

During their set, Earth, Wind & Fire electrified the crowd once again and had people boogying for what seemed like ages. Even I had to take a break from my diligent note-taking to butcher a couple of verses from my favorite song, "Reasons."

After more than five decades in the music industry, Earth, Wind & Fire is still one of the best-selling R&B bands of all time, according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame , and it's not hard to imagine why.

Although Earth, Wind & Fire was the penultimate act of the night, in my opinion, their performance was the highlight of the festival. The group danced and sang on stage like it was the '70s again (even though many of the band's senior members are in their mid-70s).

Their masterful performance, full of energy and theatrics, had fans of all ages on their feet, proving that no matter how old you are, you can still get your groove on.

As I sat high in the nosebleed seats with the summer breeze and soulful melodies wafting over me, I found myself agreeing with a statement my mother, Gina Ogwude, often repeated throughout my childhood when playing Earth, Wind & Fire (her favorite band of all time).

"This is when music was good."

Anthony Hamilton almost put me to sleep, but in a good way

Praising himself as the "narrator of love," Anthony Hamilton's performance at Paycor Stadium was the embodiment of a late-night radio show. His sultry, deep voice, endless vocal loops and comments to the crowd about "slowing things down" almost put me to sleep, but in a good way, I suppose.

I must admit I was not an Anthony Hamilton fan before his performance at CMF. I only knew his 2003 hit "Charlene" before he took over the stage. Honestly, I can't say that I'll be running to turn on the neo-soul singer's music in the future.

But for one night, I was taken away by his hypnotic R&B tunes and calming stage presence. After a long night on my feet, I welcomed the brief reprieve as Hamilton gently lulled me into a blissful daze with his gravelly, southern sound.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: "We love you, Cincinnati." Ice Cube crashes 2025 Music Fest, introduces Earth, Wind & Fire

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"American Idol" music supervisor and her musician husband killed in double homicide

Robin Kaye and Thomas DeLuca were found dead in their Los Angeles home, what authorities are calling a double homicide.

• American Idol music supervisor Robin Kaye and her musician husband, Thomas DeLuca, were found dead at home.
• Authorities described it as a double homicide.
• A suspect has been arrested.

Key Points

Longtime American Idol Music supervisor Robin Kaye and her musician husband, Thomas DeLuca, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Monday, what authorities are calling a double homicide.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department said Entertainment Weekly that officers responded to a request for a welfare check on the 4700 block of White Oak Ave. in L.A.'s Encino neighborhood around 2:30 p.m. Upon entering the home, they discovered a man and a woman with gunshot wounds to their heads, and first responders pronounced them dead at the scene. The victims were identified as Kaye and DeLuca, both 70.

A suspect, 22-year-old Encino resident Raymond Boodarian, has been arrested in the case.

A press release issued by the LAPD On Tuesday, it was said that there were no signs of forced entry at the residence, leading investigators to believe the perpetrator entered through an unlocked door. Citing interviews with friends and family, surveillance videos, and evidence recovered at the scene, authorities believe that a confrontation occurred when Kaye and DeLuca discovered Boodarian in their home, and that he shot them and fled.

EW was not immediately able to obtain contact information for Boodarian or his legal representation.

A representative for American Idol said in a statement provided to EW, "We are devastated to hear of Robin and her dear husband, Tom's, passing. Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her. Robin will remain in our hearts forever, and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.

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The LAPD's press release stated that a previous call to authorities was made last Thursday regarding a possible burglary at Kaye and DeLuca's home. Investigators are still working to determine whether Boodarian had any prior connection to Kaye or DeLuca.

Kaye was a veteran entertainment industry professional, with music supervision, clearance, and consulting credits stretching back to season 3 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer , which aired in 1998.

She was best known for her time on American Idol , which began with work on a single episode of the long-running reality competition series' second season, in 2002, but was taken up seriously in 2009, starting a 14-season run that ended two years ago. In addition to Idol , Kaye worked as a music supervisor on series like Lip Sync Battle , Hollywood Game Night , and The Singing Bee .

DeLuca was a singer-songwriter who had been releasing music since 1986. Over the years he wrote songs for acts including Diesel, Meredith Brooks, and Mickey Dolenz, according to his website .

Anyone who believes they have information relevant to the case is encouraged to contact Operations-Valley Bureau Homicide investigators at (818) 374-9950.

[ This article has been updated with information about a suspect being arrested in connection with Kaye and DeLuca's deaths. ]

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly

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ChatGPT often hallucinated about the music app Soundslice, so the founder made the lie come true.

Earlier this month, Adrian Holovaty, founder of music-teaching platform Soundslice , solved a mystery that had been plaguing him for weeks. Weird images of what were clearly ChatGPT sessions kept being uploaded to the site.

Once he solved it, he realized that ChatGPT had become one of his company's greatest hype men - but it was also lying to people about what his app could do.

Holovaty is best known as one of the creators of the open-source Django project , a popular Python web development framework (although he retired from managing the project in 2014). In 2012, he launched Soundslice, which remains "proudly bootstrapped," he tells TechCrunch. Currently, he is focused on his music career. both as an artist and as a founder.

Soundslice is an app for teaching music, used by students and teachers. It is known for its video player synchronized with music notations that guide users on how the notes should be played.

It also offers a feature called "sheet music scanner" that allows users to upload an image of paper sheet music and, using AI, will automatically turn that into an interactive sheet, complete with notations.

Holovaty carefully watches this feature's error logs to see what problems occur and where to add improvements, he said.

That's where he started seeing the uploaded ChatGPT sessions.

They were creating a bunch of error logs. Instead of images of sheet music, these were images of words and a box of symbols known as ASCII tablature. That's a basic text-based system used for guitar notations that uses a regular keyboard. (There's no treble key, for instance, on your standard QWERTY keyboard.)

The volume of these ChatGPT session images was not so burdensome that it was costing his company money to store them or crushing his app's bandwidth, Holovaty said. He was baffled, he wrote. in a blog post about the situation.

Our scanning system wasn't intended to support this style of notation. Why, then, were we being bombarded with so many ASCII tab ChatGPT screenshots? I was mystified for weeks - until I messed around with ChatGPT myself.

That's how he saw ChatGPT telling people they could hear this music by opening a Soundslice account and uploading the image of the chat session. Only, they couldn't. Uploading those images wouldn't translate the ASCII tab into audio notes.

He was faced with a new problem. "The main cost was reputational: new Soundslice users were coming in with false expectations. They had been confidently told we would do something that we actually don't," he described to TechCrunch.

He and his team discussed their options: Slap disclaimers all over the site about it — "No, we can't turn a ChatGPT session into hearable music" — or build that feature into the scanner, even though he had never before considered supporting that offbeat musical notation system.

He opted to build the feature.

"My feelings on this are conflicted. I'm happy to add a tool that helps people. But I feel like our hand was forced in a weird way. Should we really be developing features in response to misinformation?" he wrote.

He also wondered if this was the first documented case of a company having to develop a feature because ChatGPT kept repeating, to many people, its hallucination about it.

The fellow programmers on Hacker News had an interesting take about it: Several of them said that it's no different than an over-eager human salesperson promising the world to prospects and then forcing developers to deliver new features.

"I think that's a very fitting and amusing comparison!" Holovaty agreed.

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Veterans and civilians bond over beers and bluegrass at Nashville's American Legion Post 82

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Matthew "Moose" Musquiz was working as a diesel mechanic in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, when his physical therapist told him about a bar in Nashville, Tennessee, that he might like.

Musquiz loves the Texas dance hall style of venues popular there, but he hadn't really found a good one in Nashville, which is about an hour south of the U.S. Army installation.

"He told me, 'Tuesday night at the American Legion Post 82 "is kind of like a dance hall," said Musquiz.

In a dimly lit cinderblock building tucked away off a busy street in the Inglewood neighborhood, locals learn to two-step to country music, and veterans from different wars trade insults and advice.

Over beers and bluegrass, the American Legion Post 82 breaks down barriers between veterans and civilians and provides a sense of community for those who served. Post 82 has gained a reputation for hosting big-name acts on its tiny stage, which puts a spotlight on the veterans' service organization.

"It's really unique because it's such a blend of everybody: veterans, community members, and even travelers passing through who just heard a good word about this place," said Musquiz, a post member.

Big names on a small stage

Grammy-winning producer and rocker Jack White played the tiny stage to raise money for a new sound system for the post. Bluegrass artist Billy Strings, who can sell out arenas, recorded a live album at Post 82 with acclaimed bluegrass musician Bryan Sutton. It was at Post 82 where Americana artist Sierra Ferrell, now a four-time Grammy winner, was performing with the house band when she was discovered and later signed by a record label.

"We really lean into the music as a mechanism to draw people here," said Shannon Rasmussen, the post adjutant.

At the same time, the volunteer veterans who run the post ensure the true mission hasn't gotten lost in the attention on the celebrities who spend time there. The post's nonmusical activities in the community range from various veterans services, sponsoring kids' sports leagues, and a youth program that teaches kids about government. Wreath laying at veterans' cemeteries and serving as the color guard for sporting events are also among the activities. Nonveterans can attend shows and have drinks at the American Legion, although membership is for veterans only.

"It has this cool second and third order effect where people out in the community get to learn more about military service and what it's all about," said Rasmussen.

Helmets, patches, and flags fill the walls

Where much of "new" Nashville caters to tourists, Post 82 feels like a step back in time. The classic country and bluegrass music coming from the venue is not the type typically found among the artist-themed bars along Broadway in downtown Nashville. Military mementos decorate the post, including helmets, framed folded American flags, dozens of patches from military units pinned on a wall, and framed photos of members in their uniforms. The stage's backdrop is a string of lights arranged in the shape of an American flag.

Tuesdays are one of the more popular nights at the Legion. One recent Tuesday afternoon, the color guard practiced its formation on the dance floor, stepping together with ceremonial rifles to present the flag for upcoming events they had booked. An hour later, dance instructors taught couples the basics of two-step dancing, as they twirled each other around in circles. The night continued with country and rockabilly music from Matt McMurry, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and the band the Tennessee Roundups.

August Wagner, a former Army scout and member of the color guard, has observed the post's leadership and membership adapting to increasing attention and noted that younger veterans are becoming more involved. They also continue the military tradition of playfully hazing each other's branch or service.

I call it the island of misfit toys for a reason," said Wagner. "It's just everybody and anybody. It could be Navy, Army, whatever, but we all give each other equal crap. You gain family members every day.

Volunteer veterans reach out to others

Only the bar staff gets paid to work at Post 82, and everyone else volunteers their time, whether it's on a day they might be having a turkey shoot, a clothes drive, or a potluck dinner to watch the Army versus Navy football game.

"So when a country star rents the building to shoot a music video or hold an album release party, the proceeds help them pay the bartenders and fund the veterans and community service projects," said Rasmussen.

"Every bit of it, after we've covered our overhead, leaves the building again," she said.

A sign sets the tone for patrons: "Please, no politics at the bar!" For Wagner, that means everyone is treated equally at Post 82, regardless of their final rank or whether they are a famous musician.

Jenny Kuhl, a 27-year-old artist manager in Nashville, visited Post 82 with some of her friends in the music industry on Tuesday nights and found it to be a more authentic scene compared to other venues in town.

"I've gotten to meet some really wonderful people who I probably never would have met otherwise, and I really like that part about this place," said Kuhl, who spent a recent Tuesday at the Legion dancing to the Tennessee Roundups.

Rasmussen wants the American Legion to be a place for veterans, like a church or a barbershop, where someone would notice if they didn't show up regularly.

If there’s a member that hasn’t been in for a week or two and we haven’t seen them, we start asking around to see if anybody else has seen them," said Rasmussen. "And if nobody has seen them, then we reach out.

Jason Williams retired from the Army at the beginning of the year after 28 years and is the first vice commander at the post. Regardless of how Post 82 gets veterans to come through the doors, whether it's the music or the services, Williams said they'd find a supportive space.

Transition to the civilian side is difficult," said Williams. "The one thing I can say is that this place has been pretty much a soft place to land.

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Willie Nelson's Outlaw Music Festival cancels Oklahoma date due to 'unforeseeable circumstances'

The anticipated Oklahoma debut for the Outlaw Music Festival, featuring music icons Willie Nelson & Family and Bob Dylan has been canceled "due to unforeseeable circumstances."

The touring festival was set to make its Sooner State debut on Tuesday, July 1, at the Lucky Star Amphitheater in El Reno . Grammy-winning Americana band The Mavericks and Canadian-born and New Zealand-based country singer-songwriter Tami Neilson were also scheduled to perform at the Oklahoma tour stop.

The cancellation comes after the festival encountered "an extreme weather event" on Sunday, June 29, at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. The severe storms produced heavy rains and high winds, forcing the crowd to evacuate.

Much of the Outlaw Music Festival’s equipment and musicians’ instruments were damaged and waterlogged in the stormy weather, "making their condition difficult to assess in time to accurately and safely use" for the Oklahoma show, according to the cancellation announcement.

"The potential damage has halted the festival production as they recover and replace what's necessary for the tour to resume," continues the cancellation notice.

"Blackbird Presents, Lucky Star Amphitheater, and DCF Concerts are disappointed to have to cancel the engagement and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this cancellation may cause."

Refunds for the Oklahoma show will be issued to the point of purchase, according to the announcement. Ticketholders are asked to allow seven to 10 business days for the refund to appear on their credit card statements.

Winds reached up to 80 mph during the June 29 storms in Missouri, reports the Springfield News-Leader A 20-year-old woman was reportedly killed in a neighborhood southwest of Springfield after a large tree was blown over onto her vehicle.

Taney County Sheriff Brad Daniels told the publication that minor injuries were reported at the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena from tents in the high winds. According to social media posts, The venue was evacuated due to severe weather at about 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, and the Outlaw Music Festival date was postponed at about 6:50 p.m.

All previously purchased tickets will be honored once the A new date has been announced for the Missouri show. , according to the announcements.

The tour is set to resume on Friday, July 4, at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin, Texas, as Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival converges with the Country Music Hall of Famer's annual July 4th Picnic and Fireworks .

What is the Outlaw Music Festival?

Nelson launched the Outlaw Music Festival in 2016 as a one-time event in Scranton, Pennsylvania, before launching the concept as a touring event the following year. Dylan was among the artists on the first Outlaw fest tour, and the Winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize rejoined the tour this year after the Oscar-nominated 2024 biopic "A Complete Unknown" renewed interest in his music.

As it celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025, the Outlaw Music Festival is billed as "a hallmark of authentic Americana music" that has developed into one of North America's largest annual touring franchises. Still led by Nelson, the Outlaw Music Festival Tour unites music legends with contemporary superstars to celebrate the outlaw spirit and genre-defying music.

The 2025 tour is the largest Outlaw trek to date, with the lineup including Nelson and his family, Dylan, The Mavericks, Neilson, Oklahoma Red Dirt band Turnpike Troubadours, Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Sheryl Crow, The Avett Brothers, Wilco, The Red Clay Strays, Lake Street Dive, Waxahatchee, Charles Wesley Godwin, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, Trampled By Turtles, Sierra Hull, Willow Avalon, Waylon Payne, Madeline Edwards, Lily Meola, Myron Elkins and more.

This year's tour launched on May 13 at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, Arizona, and is scheduled to make more than 30 stops across 20-plus states before wrapping up on September 19 at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.

For more information, go to https://blackbirdpresents.com/concert/outlaw-music-festival-tour-2025

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Willie Nelson's Outlaw Music Festival cancels Oklahoma date due to 'unforeseeable circumstances'

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I Want My MTV! MTV Playing 24/7 Music Videos Again... for a Limited Time

MTV is cranking up the time machine with a one-week return to nonstop music videos ahead of the 2025 VMAs, hoping to recapture its '80s and '90s magic in the age of streaming.

Here's the TL;DR...

• MTV will broadcast 24/7 music videos across MTV2, MTV Live, and MTV Classic for one week leading up to the 2025 VMAs on September 7.

• Former MTV executive Van Toffler is helping curate the lineup alongside past VMA winners and personalities.

• The move is a nod to nostalgia, after MTV largely abandoned music videos in the 2000s amid the rise of reality TV and streaming platforms like VEVO and YouTube.

The Comeback: A Week of Video Nostalgia

MTV is briefly returning to its roots. From September 1 through September 7, 2025, the network will air music videos 24/7 on MTV2, MTV Live, and MTV Classic. The announcement was made via CordCuttersNews on June 29, 2025, and confirmed by a post on X.

The event, curated by past VMA winners and longtime MTV personalities, is described as an "unprecedented week" by Paramount. Spearheaded by former MTV exec Van Toffler—now back in the mix via a deal with Gunpowder & Sky—the initiative aims to blend iconic classics with fresh tracks, offering a nostalgic lead-up to the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.

Why MTV Stopped Playing Music Videos

MTV's pivot away from music videos began in the late 1990s as audiences shifted online. While the channel famously launched in 1981 with The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star," its commitment to music programming eroded over time.

Early hits like Yo! MTV Raps , Headbangers Ball , and Total Request Live eventually gave way to reality hits like The Real World (1992) and Jersey Shore (2009). By 2008, music content had dropped below 10% of airtime, according to archived Reddit discussions. The 2008 financial crisis only accelerated the shift to low-cost reality content like Teen Mom , fundamentally transforming the network's identity.

The Rise of VEVO and Streaming

By the mid-2000s, the internet was already reshaping how fans consumed music. YouTube launched in 2005, offering free, on-demand access to music videos. In 2009, VEVO emerged as a joint venture between Universal Music Group and Sony Music, streaming premium music videos in HD and embedding directly into YouTube's ecosystem.

According to Vocal.media , VEVO boasted over 100,000 videos by 2012, quickly outpacing MTV's traditional broadcast reach. Meanwhile, platforms like Spotify and Apple Music became dominant among young listeners. A Statista report from June 2025 shows that 87% of U.S. teens now stream music via on-demand platforms, leaving little demand for scheduled TV programming.

Why It Matters: Nostalgia, Branding, and Legacy

MTV's brief return to music videos is as much a branding move as it is a programming experiment. It underscores the network's complex legacy—from cultural tastemaker to reality TV powerhouse to nostalgic brand relic.

Whether this revival is a genuine test for future programming or just a feel-good marketing stunt ahead of the VMAs, it taps into a longing for an era when music videos had cultural primacy. The event also arrives at a time when media companies are leaning on legacy IP to retain fragmented audiences. As of June 29, 2025, the move is trending under #MTVVideos on X, reflecting both curiosity and skepticism from longtime fans.

Sources:

• CordCuttersNews "MTV Will Bring Back 24/7 Music Videos For a Limited Time," June 29, 2025

• CordCuttersNews , Post ID: 1939332360664662045, June 29, 2025

• Wikipedia , "MTV," June 29, 2025

• Vevo - Wikipedia , June 27, 2025

• Vocal.media "The Evolution of Music Video Distribution Platforms," 2024

• r/videos , Reddit, November 12, 2012

• Statista "Music Streaming Usage Among U.S. Teens," June 2025

• X , #MTVVideos, June 29, 2025

News compiled and edited by Derek Gibbs and Steven Bubbles on June 29, 2025. Follow us on newsrealtime For more gaming, pop culture, and tech news, consider subscribing for only $5 per month to gain access to exclusive podcasts and other content.

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Are Nashville's Chopped-Up Party Buses Actually Street Legal?

Let's get right to it, Nashville has a reputation — and that reputation comes with bargain-bin cowboy hats and neon-pink boots. For every legendary corner of Music City, there is a bachelor/ette party stumbling close behind. What is a gaggle of "woo-girls" or "hell-yeah-guys" celebrating the impending nuptials of their bestie to do? Why, rent a crudely modified school bus and crawl through downtown — obviously.

So Lower Broadway after dark looks less like a thoroughfare and more like a neon-lit conga line on wheels. These "transportainment" rigs are a major part of modern Music City, and the lingering spirits of Johnny Cash and Hank Williams must love hearing Katy Perry cranked to 11 as they inch past the Ryman Auditorium. After all, some of these rolling Franken-buses have lost their original roofs, gained LED lights, and — memorably in one instance — sprouted a functional hot tub ensuring the patrons weren't the only things getting sloshed.

With Nashville making more traffic stops per capita than the national average , the whole scene raises the question: Are these things actually legal? The short answer is a heavily-asterisked "yes." The long answer is a master class in regulatory whack-a-mole, public outcry, and the sheer, unadulterated chaos that defines modern Nashville.

Read more: These Are The Car-Related Movie Mistakes That Really Bother You

From School Bus To Booze Cruise: The Anatomy Of A Nashville Party Machine

If you can dream it, and it has wheels, someone in Nashville has probably turned it into a party bus. The baseline model for many of these operations is the humble school bus — its roof unceremoniously chopped off like these other custom drop-top modifications. The iconic school bus yellow is usually covered up and the interior gutted to make room for benches and dancing. But why stop at school buses? The selection includes an entire menagerie of vehicular oddities.

You'll find massive, open-air vehicles built on agricultural tractor chassis giving hayride vibes. Even retired military surplus trucks. One of the most infamous examples? That trailer outfitted with a full-size, fully operational hot tub — which the city eventually shut down. Not for the glaring safety hazard of sloshing around in a mobile human crock pot, but because it lacked a public pool permit. These creations are a testament to backyard engineering. It's the kind of thing you'd admire at a post-apocalyptic car show, but perhaps be less enthused about when it's blocking an intersection or holding up traffic.

The Long, Winding, And Poorly Paved Road To Regulation

For years, Nashville's party bus scene was the Wild West on wheels. If you could bolt a bench and a cooler to a chassis, you could charge tourists for the privilege of riding it down Broadway. One Tennessee twist helps explain how these rolling parties even exist: the state's open-container law, which lets passengers in a moving vehicle possess and consume alcohol — as long as the driver stays dry. With recent estimates pegging Nashville's transportainment industry at around $50 million a year, it's easy to see why so many are eager to cash in on the rolling chaos.

Because of a series of unfortunate events — including a man falling from a moving bus and being run over — the city was forced to take action. As Butch Spyridon, president/CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., told WSMV 4 "What we feared would happen, did happen." This spurred the creation of a regulatory framework for the buses. Why nothing was done before is still mystifying.

To be a legitimate rolling party — besides singing "Don't Stop Believin'" off-key — now requires operators to get approved for an entertainment transportation certificate. This comes with a laundry list of rules: no booze over 8% alcohol by volume and noise levels that shouldn't be plainly audible from 50 feet away. There are also operating-hour restrictions, and drivers are supposed to have a commercial driver's license. Yet, with 88 citations handed out in one six-month period — 61 of them for operating without a license — it's clear that not everyone is playing by the rules.

Residents Vs. Revelers: The Party Bus Standoff

While tourists ride high on a cloud of booze and Bluetooth speakers, many Nashville locals are just trying to get a quiet night's sleep — or, you know, use the street without being blasted by Lizzo at 3 p.m. on a Thursday. The backlash has been loud and sustained. More recently, the Music City has been in tune with the complaints — pushing for further regulations. Setting designated quiet zones — such as schools, daycares, places of worship, and healthcare facilities. The new rules also prohibit pick-ups and drop-offs along those areas.

What's made things worse? A lingering sense that enforcement is selective at best. Some operators allege the city is trying to shut down their businesses outright, while others—like Old Town Trolley Tours, a booze-free sightseeing operation—allegedly received "verbal permission" to operate during otherwise restricted hours. That special treatment didn't sit well with party bus crews. It's created an us-versus-them climate, echoing other car-culture battles like the Carolina Squat .

Are these rolling honky-tonks legal? Technically, yes — if you have the permits and follow the city's rules. You thought you were getting the full "In the Air Tonight" drum solo, but it's just the sad comedy rimshot of Music City. For now, the music plays on, though the wheels of regulation are turning, and they may eventually catch up with the party. So if heavy modification, high decibels, and a party atmosphere are your thing — check out Monster Jam at Nissan Stadium instead.

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