Backline this week launched B-LINE, a 24/7 mental health and crisis support line created specifically for the music industry. This first-of-its-kind service fulfills a vision the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization has held since day one.
B-LINE connects music professionals and their families with trained counselors who understand the unique pressures of working in and around music—anytime, day or night. Support is available by calling 1-855-BLINE99 or texting 254-639. The line is now open.
“This has always been the dream,” Backline co-founder and executive director Hilary Gleason said in a press statement. “We’ve supported thousands of music industry professionals in their mental health and wellness journeys, but one critical piece was missing: real-time access to care. B-LINE changes that.”
Gleason expounded upon that concept onstage at New York’s Irving Plaza on Tuesday during a launch event for B-LINE that featured live music by Backline allies Joy Oladokun, DJ Questlove, Steve Earle, Mimi Naja, Melt, and more. While the organization has been connecting people in the music industry with vital mental health resources since 2019, its ability to offer real-time assistance was limited during nights and weekends—the times when many in the industry are most likely to need support. Until now, she joked, her cell phone number has been the closest thing Backline has had to a real-time crisis hotline.
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Last year at the Grammy Awards, Chappell Roan used her Best New Artist acceptance speech to ask the music industry a hard question: Who is caring for the artists, if the industry isn’t? That following week, Roan took the first step toward doing something about it, launching a fundraising campaign for Backline called “We Got You.” Many artists and other entities joined in with Roan, matching her generosity toward the cause and increasing Backline’s visibility in the music industry at large. Determined to make their dream of providing 24/7, industry-specific care a reality, Backline recruited the support of lead sponsor Spotify, as well as singer-songwriter Noah Kahan and Live Nation.
“These are close partners that have been key in advancing our mission over the past six years,” Gleason added in her press statement. “When we started to bring up B-LINE with them, it became more and more clear that this was the initiative that could change the industry for good.”
Additional support for B-LINE comes from Adyen, AEG Presents, The Busyhead Project, Red Light Management, and Wasserman Foundation.
“Artists are the lifeblood of culture, but too often they and their teams don’t have the safety nets they need. That has to change,” said Spotify’s Global Head of Music, Charlie Hellman. “Spotify is proud to enable Backline to build B-LINE and expand access to this critical support.”
Noah Kahan, who has been deeply invested in the path to the hotline, shared, “I started working with Backline to provide mental health services for my touring band and crew in 2023. Support for the wellbeing of the incredibly hard working artists and people that make the music industry function has long been neglected. A dedicated 24 hour hotline is the first step toward accessing critical mental health support. The Busyhead Project and I are proud to work with Backline to create a pathway toward a healthier future and an entry point for accessing resources.”
“Live Nation was among the first to feature Backline resources in our venues, and it has become an essential lifeline for the people who make our industry run,” said Michael Rapino, Live Nation Entertainment President & CEO. “B-LINE gives them something we’ve long needed: immediate help, anytime. Live Nation is proud to support this 24/7 resource and ensure it’s prominently featured across all our venues.”
B-LINE ensures that anyone working in music—artists, crew, staff, executives and also family members within the music community—can access immediate, confidential support 24/7, with a seamless transition into long-term care. Launching this initiative now means getting ahead of future crises with a solution that meets the industry where it works: on the road, outside of 9-to-5 hours, and in moments of acute need. Backline is working with experts who know this work, such as Vibrant Emotional Health, a national leader in mental health which delivers life-saving support to millions each year through numerous lifelines, innovative programs, and system advocacy.
Since 2019, Backline has invested $3.5 million into mental health and wellness in the music industry and served 84,000 people. Every day, the Backline team has fielded urgent calls and cases where waiting to act isn’t an option. Mental health challenges within the music industry are at crisis levels. Suicide rates of musicians are nearly 10x the national average for males, and 73% of independent musicians report symptoms of mental illness. Building a healthier, more sustainable music industry for everyone, Backline’s 24/7 crisis hotline is just a call or text away. Backline’s trusted help hub will also still be available online at Backline.care.
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