Gaza Statement: Ed Sheeran returned to the stage in Philadelphia and called the situation in Gaza “catastrophic and unjustifiable,” apologizing for “mistakes” after backlash over Macklemore being removed as a support act for pro-Palestinian comments. K-pop Power Play: BTS and BLACKPINK lead the Best Group race at the MTV VMAs, with BTS also nominated for Song of the Year and Best K-Pop for “SWIM,” while BTS aims to reclaim a title it won four straight years. Festival Highlights: Snoop Dogg closed night two of the iHeartRadio Music Festival by bringing out Wiz Khalifa for “Young, Wild & Free,” and Major Lazer followed with a high-energy “leave it all on the stage” set. Music Industry Risk: A new report shows scammers using AI to place fake songs onto real artists’ streaming pages via distributors, letting royalties flow to fraudsters. Live Music & Culture: Sofia Guitar Fest ended with No More Many More and mass guitar performances, while Athens’ new season pairs symphony, opera, rebetiko, jazz and more to keep tickets accessible. Classical/Community: Bulgaria’s BNR musicians warn low pay is driving talent loss, and Battle Creek Symphony launches its “Fantasia” season opener Oct. 3.