Wasserman Music, one of the most influential talent agencies in the global music industry, is facing a crisis of confidence and a potential mass exodus, following revelations about its founder and CEO, Casey Wasserman. The controversy erupted after the U.S. Department of Justice released a tranche of files from the Epstein case, exposing Wasserman’s past relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell—Jeffrey Epstein’s convicted accomplice. The fallout has been swift and severe, with prominent artists and agents publicly distancing themselves from the agency and demanding sweeping changes.
The first tremors were felt on February 5, 2026, when Bethany Cosentino, frontwoman of indie pop duo Best Coast, became the first artist signed to Wasserman Music to speak out. According to Billboard, Cosentino took to Instagram to call for Casey Wasserman to step down and for the agency to change its name. She wrote, “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. 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. Pretending this isn’t a big deal is not an option for me.”
Cosentino’s statement set off a wave of public declarations from artists and bands across the agency’s roster. On February 9, Chappell Roan, a rising pop star, announced her own departure via Instagram. Her message, cited by Pollstar, was unequivocal: “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.”
Other artists quickly followed suit. Orville Peck, the enigmatic country singer, announced his exit on February 10, writing, “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.”
Dropkick Murphys, the long-running Irish-American band, also made their departure public, stating via Instagram Stories, “It saddens us to part ways with [our agents], but the namesake of the agency is in the Epstein files so…we GONE.”
Rachel Brown of Water From Your Eyes was among those who criticized Wasserman’s apology, saying, “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 added that her band and 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. We trust our booking agents and are waiting to understand what our options are.”
The band Wednesday began the process of extracting themselves from Wasserman Music, stating, “Continuing to be represented by a company led by and named after Casey Wasserman goes against our values and cannot continue. For the sake of his staff we hope that he steps down from the company and it is rebranded, but until that happens or we find a new home at a new agency we will not continue to be associated with Wasserman.”
Other artists, including Beach Bunny, Sylvan Esso, Chelsea Cutler, Gigi Perez, and Levity, joined the exodus. Sylvan Esso, for example, wrote, “We have been with our amazing agent for our entire career (since way before Wasserman acquired their former company in 2021), but she is just one of hundreds of brilliant agents, assistants, and other employees whose lives have been completely upended by both his behavior and his inability to be accountable for his actions. We don’t know yet where we’ll be next, but it will not be anywhere he is.”
Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells offered a nuanced perspective, expressing frustration at the lack of systemic accountability while affirming loyalty to her agent: “In my opinion it’s not the responsibility of the artists, especially those struggling to make a living, to fix these broken systems. I’m not saying we’re powerless, but without systemic change and accountability for those at the highest levels of power, no meaningful change is going to occur.”
Wasserman Music’s predicament is further complicated by its impressive roster and influence. The agency represents superstars such as Coldplay, Lorde, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Kenny Chesney, Kendrick Lamar, Skrillex, and more. According to Booking Agency Info, Wasserman Music dominates festival lineups, holding 38% of the Governors Ball agency share, 35% at Electric Forest, 34% at Bonnaroo, and 33% at Coachella—well ahead of competitors WME, UTA, and CAA, each with 12%.
The agency’s leadership faces a crossroads. Senior agents and artist teams have reportedly expressed hesitation about remaining with Wasserman Music, with some pushing for a change of ownership. Several scenarios are now on the table: maintaining current ownership and risking further defections, selling to a rival like CAA, WME, UTA, or IAG, forming a new agency led by top agents, or agents striking out to start their own firms. Such shake-ups are not unprecedented; the agency landscape has seen frequent mergers, acquisitions, and leadership changes in recent years. For instance, Paradigm, Wasserman Music’s precursor, was nearly merged with UTA in 2019 before being sold to Wasserman in 2021. The pandemic era also saw the rise of independent agencies like TBA Agency and Arrival Artists (now Roam).
Since 2022, Providence Equity Partners has been a strategic investor in Wasserman Music, replacing previous backers RedBird and Madrone Capital. The financial and reputational stakes are high, with the agency’s value and stability hanging in the balance. Wasserman Music has already removed its artist roster from its website, directing visitors to a contact form instead. Individual artist pages, however, remain accessible.
Despite the turmoil, many artists have emphasized their loyalty to their individual agents rather than the agency itself. As Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino put it, “I am in the Sam Hunt business,” referring to her long-time agent. The consensus among agents and employees, according to Pollstar, is a desire to remain together if possible, but only if the agency’s leadership and values are realigned with those of its artists and staff.
This crisis has laid bare not just the vulnerabilities of a storied music agency, but also the growing insistence among artists for ethical leadership and accountability in their representation. With more departures likely and the agency’s future uncertain, the coming weeks may well reshape the power structure of the music industry.