Rolling Stone, Billboard and Sonesta International Hotels Collaborate on Year-Long Partnership Across Major Music Moments

The Partnership Includes Rolling Stone’s Musicians on Musicians Franchise and Rock Tour and Billboard’s Women in Music and Latin Music Week, Reinforcing A Shared Commitment to Connecting Music, Travel and Unforgettable Live Experiences

February 19, 2026, New York, NY: Today, iconic music brands Rolling Stone and Billboard announced the expansion of a joint strategic partnership with Sonesta International Hotels, deepening the collaboration into a year-long sponsorship across some of the industry’s most influential live music events in 2026.

Building on Sonesta’s successful multi-year collaboration on Rolling Stone’s acclaimed Musicians on Musicians franchise, including the flagship New York event and its multi-city satellite series at Sonesta properties, the expanded partnership now spans additional cultural tentpoles across both brands, reinforcing a shared commitment to connecting music, travel, and unforgettable live experiences.

“Rolling Stone has always been committed to telling the stories behind the music and creating spaces where artists can connect in meaningful ways,” said Julian Holguin, CEO of Rolling Stone. “Our expanded partnership with Sonesta allows us to bring that editorial spirit to life across more stages and cities in 2026, deepening the connection between artists, audiences, and the cultural moments that define the year.”

“Sonesta understands the power of immersive live experiences and how they bring communities together,” added Mike Van, CEO of Billboard. “As a key partner of Billboard’s marquee live franchises, including Women in Music and Latin Music Week, Sonesta’s commitment to hospitality and experiential access enhances these iconic experiences, ensuring they reflect the scale, ambition, and global momentum of music today.”

As part of the 2026 collaboration, Sonesta will serve as a key partner across Rolling Stone and Billboard’s marquee live franchises, including:

• Musicians on Musicians: Rolling Stone’s acclaimed live editorial series pairing iconic and emerging artists for candid, in-depth conversations and collaborative performances. Rooted in Rolling Stone’s legacy of music journalism, the series brings boundary-pushing artists together onstage for rare, intimate dialogue that explores craft, influence, and the creative process.
• Musicians on Musicians Satellite Events: Rolling Stone and Sonesta International Hotels continue to expand the iconic franchise with a multi-city event series bringing the magazine’s signature artist conversations to life. These events pair established and emerging musicians for intimate, city-specific conversations and special performances that reflect each location’s unique musical culture, giving fans a rare front-row experience.
• The Rolling Stone Rock Tour: The Rolling Stone Rock Tour spotlights the most exciting, forward-thinking artists shaping the future of rock & roll, celebrating boundary-pushing sounds across indie, alternative, pop, and experimental rock, curated to reflect where the genre is headed both onstage and in culture at large.
• Billboard Latin Music Week: The premier gathering celebrating the artists, executives, and visionaries shaping the global Latin music industry. For more than three decades, the event has brought together the most influential voices in Latin music to spotlight chart-topping talent, industry trailblazers, and cultural innovators driving the genre’s continued evolution.
• Billboard Women in Music: Billboard Women in Music is an annual celebration honoring the groundbreaking women shaping the music industry today — spotlighting artists, executives, creators, and innovators who are driving culture forward. Over the years, the event has recognized some of the most influential names in music, including Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, SZA, Doja Cat, and more.

This year’s Billboard Women in Music event, presented by Sonesta International Hotels, will return April 29 to the iconic Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Multi-Emmy Award–winning actress, producer, and music artist Keke Palmer has been named host and will also take the stage for a special live performance.

“For two years, our partnership with Rolling Stone has redefined what loyalty looks like for Sonesta Travel Pass members,” comments Elizabeth Harlow, Chief Brand Officer, Sonesta International Hotels. “As we enter year three of this partnership, we have this incredible opportunity to grow and have added Billboard to our roster, allowing us to provide even more exclusive access to events like Billboard’s Women in Music. Sonesta Travel Pass has always stood for more than traditional hotel loyalty; we offer our members a front-row seat to culture.”

Throughout 2026, Sonesta Travel Pass members will have access to exclusive opportunities and elevated packages across select events, offering premium experiences designed to connect guests more deeply with the artists and moments shaping the year in music.

“As the consumer landscape has shifted, so have travelers’ expectations from their loyalty program. Loyalty is no longer simply transactional, it’s important to provide travelers with value that extends beyond room nights,” says CMO Chris Trick, “In working with PMC to bring our members events such as the on-property Musicians on Musicians and VIP access to Rolling Stone’s Rock Tour and now Billboard Latin Music Week, we’re not only adding value to individual trips, but we’re building a relationship with our loyalty members and PMC readers where they come to Sonesta for these once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”

Together, Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Sonesta International Hotels are redefining how music fans engage with live culture, uniting editorial authority, global influence, and hospitality to create experiences that resonate far beyond the stage.

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ABOUT ROLLING STONE:

Five decades since its founding, Rolling Stone today has evolved into a multi-platform content brand with unrivalled access and authority. Published in 10 languages, Rolling Stone has a global audience of over 75 million across 16 international editions. Staying true to its mission to tell exceptional stories that illuminate the culture of our times, Rolling Stone is an authority for music reviews, in-depth interviews, hard-hitting political commentary, and award-winning journalism across print, digital, mobile, video, social and events. Operated and published by Penske Media Corporation, Rolling Stone provides “all the news that fits.”

ABOUT BILLBOARD:

Billboard is the ultimate barometer of success in music. Through its iconic charts, breaking news, multi-platform storytelling and world class events, Billboard tracks the world’s top musicians and the business that powers them. Since its origin in 1894, music leaders and fans across the world look to Billboard as the most trusted source for music information, spanning more than a dozen countries and published in over 10 languages. The Billboard Music Awards and Billboard Latin Music Awards are the only awards ceremonies that recognizes musicians for their undeniable achievements on the Billboard charts, using pure data to determine the finalists and winners, rather than relying on opaque committees or anonymous voters. Billboard’s other premium experiences range from the Billboard Power 100 to Billboard Women in Music, Billboard Latin Music Week, and Billboard Live, which connects the most impactful artists and industry leaders with fans from all corners of the globe.