Article Contributed by Big Hassle Media
Published on 2026-10-07
Backline is celebrating seven years of making an impact in mental health support for the music industry. To mark the occasion, the nonprofit has shared seven reasons to celebrate seven years of connecting music professionals and their families with care.
Across Case Management and B-LINE, 4,151 music industry professionals and family members have received free, confidential, one-on-one care. For 3,331 of them, that meant talking with a Backline Case Manager and walking away with a Care Plan built around their lives and needs.
Backline launched B-LINE, the first-of-its-kind 24/7 mental health and crisis support line for the music industry, in January. In the eight months following its launch, 757 people reached support whenever they needed it—not only during business hours.
Music professionals and their families can reach B-LINE by calling 1-855-BLINE99 or texting 254-639.
Through Music’s Mental Health Fund, in partnership with Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, Backline has helped cover more than $700,000 in mental health support for individuals, touring bands and crews.
The assistance extends through programs with the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, SONA Foundation, Be Good to Yourself and Red Dirt Relief Fund.
Harmony in Practice, Backline’s clinical training workshop, has supported 1,810 clinicians in learning to provide ethical, well-informed care for people navigating the pressures and uncertainty of the music industry.
The result is a growing network of providers who understand the realities of life in music, so industry professionals do not have to begin by explaining their world.
Mental health in music has moved from a backstage conversation to center stage. Backline’s direct partnerships with artists have continued to grow as musicians use their voices and resources to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health.
In 2023, singer-songwriter Noah Kahan founded The Busyhead Project, a mental health initiative providing resources and information intended to help end that stigma. Since Kahan’s 2024 Stick Season tour, the project has collaborated with Backline to bring free mental health care and services to music industry professionals and artists.
After calling for better mental health awareness and practices within the music industry at the GRAMMY Awards, Chappell Roan donated $25,000 to Backline’s “We Got You!” fund and encouraged other artists to do the same. The following Monday, Charli xcx and Kahan matched her donation.
Backline co-founder and Executive Director Hilary Gleason has also been recognized throughout the industry for her work and the organization’s growing relationships with artists including Billy Strings.
Backline has connected in person with 4,587 people backstage at venues and festivals, offering massage, yoga, IV drips and take.care wellness kits. Away from the venue, its online resources, workbooks and guides support people at every stage of a music career.
Backline joined Ariana Grande’s Brighter Days Ahead Foundation in June, receiving grant support to help connect individuals with therapists, counselors and wellness professionals.
As Grande’s Eternal Sunshine tour brought a series of sold-out performances to Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, Backline delivered 200 hand-packed wellness bags to crew members working behind the scenes. Each bag included products intended to support mental health, reduce stress and encourage self-care for professionals spending long stretches on the road.
Each World Mental Health Day, artists have joined Backline to bring mental health awareness directly to fans and fellow music professionals.
Past events have included MisterWives and joan in 2022; the 2023 Handle With Care event featuring Wynonna Judd, Derek Wells, Brittney Spencer, Charles Wesley Godwin, Drake Milligan, Josiah and the Bonnevilles, Madeline Edwards, Maggie Rose, Sierra Hull, Vince Herman and Wyatt Flores; and The Beaches at Austin City Limits in 2024.
The B-LINE launch event brought together DJ Questlove, Steve Earle, Joy Oladokun, Cautious Clay and MELT.
Since 2019, Backline has invested more than $6.4 million in mental health and wellness throughout the music industry, including more than $700,000 in direct financial assistance for therapy. More than 4,000 music industry professionals have received one-on-one care through B-LINE and Backline’s Case Management program.
About Backline
Backline is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization connecting music industry professionals and their families with mental health and wellness resources. The organization streamlines access to trusted organizations and care providers who understand the demands of the music industry. Through Case Management, a 24/7 mental health and crisis support line, therapy grants, tour support and wellness offerings, Backline provides assistance on and off the road.
