The music industry is reeling after a cascade of artist departures from Wasserman Music, one of the world’s leading talent agencies, following the public revelation of CEO Casey Wasserman’s relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell, the notorious associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The controversy, triggered by the release of new Department of Justice files, has prompted a wave of statements from artists and industry insiders, raising urgent questions about accountability, leadership, and the future of the agency itself.
It all began on February 5, 2026, when Bethany Cosentino, frontwoman of indie pop duo Best Coast, became the first artist signed to Wasserman Music to publicly criticize Casey Wasserman. According to Billboard, Cosentino took to Instagram to voice her outrage over the executive’s “flirtatious relationship” with Maxwell, as documented in the latest trove of three million files related to the Epstein case. Cosentino’s demands were clear: Wasserman should step down, the agency should change its name, and her band’s name should be removed from the company website. “As an artist represented by Wasserman, I did not consent to having my name or my career tied to someone with this kind of association to exploitation,” she wrote, adding, “Staying quiet isn’t something I can do in good conscience — especially in a moment when men in power are so often protected, excused, or allowed to move on without consequence.”
Cosentino’s call to action set off a domino effect. By February 9, Chappell Roan, a rising star on the agency’s roster, announced her own departure via Instagram. “I hold my teams to the highest standards and have a duty to protect them as well. No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values. I have deep respect and appreciation for the agents and staff who work tirelessly for their artists and I refuse to passively stand by. Artists deserve representation that aligns with their values and supports their safety and dignity. This decision reflects my belief that meaningful change in our industry requires accountability and leadership that earns trust,” Roan declared, as reported by Pollstar.
Orville Peck, another high-profile act, joined the exodus on February 10, stating, “In light of the recent findings regarding Casey Wasserman, I have made the decision to no longer be represented by the Wasserman talent agency. My heartfelt thanks goes out to my personal team, some of whom I have respected, trusted and worked with for close to a decade. I leave with a huge amount of compassion for the rest of the agents and staff at the agency, who are being left with a situation that impacts all of our work and livelihoods.”
The departures did not stop there. Dropkick Murphys, the long-running Irish-American band, announced via Instagram Stories that they had left the agency, writing, “It saddens us to part ways with [our agents], but the namesake of the agency is in the Epstein files so…we GONE.” Sylvan Esso, Beach Bunny, Wednesday, Sleigh Bells, Chelsea Cutler, Gigi Perez, Levity, and Bully all issued statements either announcing their exit or expressing deep concern, with many echoing the demand for Wasserman to step down and for the agency to be rebranded.
Rachel Brown, vocalist of Water From Your Eyes, was particularly scathing in her response, writing, “His ‘deepest regrets’ and PR apologies mean nothing in the wake of violence against women and children caused by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and their accomplices. There must be accountability for the atrocities committed by the ruling class. We cannot live in a world that allows for this injustice to occur with no consequence.” Brown made it clear that she, her bandmate Nick Amos, and their manager “have no interest in being affiliated with Casey Wasserman and have absolutely zero intention of condoning his actions by silently remaining under his namesake banner.”
For many artists, the decision was not just about public optics but about personal ethics and safety. Chelsea Cutler stated, “While I am grateful for my day-to-day team at the agency, I cannot in good conscience be a complicit participant and remain silent witnessing these unethical actions. It is our responsibility as artists to take any possible opportunity to exercise our personal agency and stand for what we believe in.”
Yet, amidst the outrage, several artists and agents highlighted a painful dilemma: their loyalty to their individual agents and the collateral damage inflicted on staff who had no part in the controversy. Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells wrote, “I love and respect our agent and I trust him to make the decision that is best for himself, his family and his artists. The agents at Wasserman are not the villains. In my opinion it’s not the responsibility of the artists, especially those struggling to make a living, to fix these broken systems.” Gigi Perez, too, expressed support for the agency’s staff, stating, “One man’s actions should not define or dismantle the futures of so many honest and dedicated individuals. I genuinely hope they are able to reach a resolution that allows them to move forward without him and rebuild what they’ve worked so hard to create.”
Wasserman Music, which boasts a formidable roster including Coldplay, Lorde, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Kenny Chesney, Kendrick Lamar, Skrillex, and others, has long been a dominant force in the live music scene. According to Booking Agency Info, the agency has held an impressive share of major festival lineups: 38% at Governors Ball, 35% at Electric Forest, 34% at Bonnaroo, and 33% at Coachella. The agency has also been backed by Providence Equity Partners since 2022, replacing earlier investors RedBird and Madrone Capital.
Now, however, the agency’s future is uncertain. According to Pollstar, several possible scenarios are being discussed behind closed doors. One option is for Wasserman Music to retain its current name and ownership, but this risks further exodus of agents and artists, potentially diminishing the agency’s value. Other possibilities include a sale to a competitor such as CAA, WME, UTA, or IAG; the formation of a new agency led by top agents; or agents branching out to start their own independent firms. These are not unprecedented moves in the industry, which has seen significant restructuring in recent years, including mergers and leadership changes at major agencies like UTA, Paradigm, and CAA.
For now, Wasserman Music has removed its artist roster from its website, directing visitors instead to a contact form, while individual artist pages remain online. The company’s next steps will likely determine whether it can weather this storm or if it will face a more dramatic unraveling. As one senior agent told Pollstar before the scandal broke, many within the agency held “respect and admiration for Casey Wasserman and how he has run their agency,” but the current crisis has tested those loyalties to the breaking point.
As the music world watches closely, the outcome at Wasserman Music may become a case study in how the entertainment industry grapples with the consequences of leadership scandals—and whether meaningful accountability and reform are possible when reputations, livelihoods, and values are all on the line.