Photo by Mikhail Nilov
The music industry is confronting a wave of backlash following developments involving Wasserman Music, one of the world’s most prominent booking agencies. Some of Wasserman’s highest-profile clients include SZA, Kendrick Lamar, Lorde, Pharrell, Coldplay, Katseye, Kacey Musgraves, Ed Sheeran and Kid Cudi. Reports that Casey Wasserman is exploring the sale of a stake in the broader company have coincided with a growing number of artist departures, creating a moment of reputational and structural tension across the music sector.
The situation intensified after renewed attention on documents linked to convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein. Reports resurfaced email correspondence showing that Casey Wasserman had a relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell in the early 2000s, including exchanges released as part of newly public Jeffrey Epstein files. Maxwell is currently serving a prison sentence for sex trafficking. Wasserman has apologised for the communications, stating they occurred decades ago, before the extent of Maxwell and Epstein’s crimes became known, and has maintained that he never had a personal or business relationship with Epstein beyond a single 2002 humanitarian trip taken on Epstein’s plane with a Clinton Foundation delegation. Despite Wasserman not facing any criminal charges for his relationship, the revelations have intensified scrutiny around networks of influence connected to Epstein, with multiple artists and public figures cutting ties with Wasserman’s agency or calling for his resignation.
Several major acts have since confirmed or signalled their departure from the agency. Bass music star Subtronics told fans he was “in the process of changing representation,” emphasising that the decision was made in alignment with his personal values. Melodic electronic duo ODESZA similarly confirmed they were no longer represented by the agency, while producer Lane 8 stated that he had parted ways with Wasserman, thanking his former team for their work but acknowledging the need to move forward. Artists including Seven Lions and REZZ have also reportedly taken steps to end their relationships with the company.
Rapper Bbno$ told his five million Instagram followers that he would leave his agents of nearly a decade to “ensure I don’t line the pockets of Casey Wasserman,” adding he could return if Wasserman is no longer involved with the talent agency. DJ and producer John Summit said he planned to leave unless Wasserman steps down, writing that Wasserman’s “actions do not reflect the integrity of the agents I work with.” Grammy-winning singer Chappell Roan was among the highest-profile artists to exit earlier in the week, stating that no artist or agent should have to “defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.” At least two dozen artists have now either departed the agency or publicly criticised Wasserman, with many calling for his resignation and the removal of his name from the company.
Further fuelling speculation, Wasserman Music removed its public artist roster from its website during the period of heightened scrutiny.
Beyond the immediate headlines, the developments highlight shifting expectations within artist representation. Large artists today operate as global brands with audiences that are increasingly attentive to ethics, transparency, and alignment of values. Agencies, in turn, face growing pressure to manage not only bookings and logistics but also reputational risk in a highly networked media environment. It is evident that artist–agency relationships are entering a more publicly scrutinised era, where trust, perception, and brand identity carry as much weight as contracts.
