Good Charlotte joined Hilary Duff on-stage for her gig at Madison Square Garden, just hours after the Madden Brothers’ company carried out mass layoffs at US music journalism titles including Pitchfork and BrooklynVegan.
The gig took place on Wednesday night (August 5), as Duff headlined the iconic New York venue as part of her 2026 tour dates. During the set, she performed a cover of Good Charlotte’s 2002 hit song ‘The Anthem’, and welcomed band members Joel and Benji Madden out for a surprise collaboration.
After asking fans to give the “warmest welcome to [her] friends”, while fittingly wearing a Good Charlotte band shirt, she hugged the two members and launched into the cover.
The collaboration comes as Duff and Joel Madden previously dated for a couple of years – with them starting a relationship in 2004 when he was 25 and she was 16.
Since their split in 2006, the two have remained on good terms, and Duff went on to post a photo with her now-husband Matthew Koma, showing them stood alongside the Madden brothers and Joel’s wife Nicole Richie for a photo backstage at Madison Square Garden.
The on stage appearance at MSG came just hours after it was revealed that Benji and Joel Madden’s company Veeps had carried out mass lay-offs at music publications BrooklynVegan, Alternative Press, Revolver, and Goldmine.
Each outlet has been in place for decades, with BrooklynVegan starting in 2004, Revolver being around since 2000, Goldmine operating since the ‘70s, and Alternative Press being founded in 1985.
Music publications BrooklynVegan, Alt Press, Revolver, and Goldmine gutted by parent company Veeps, sources say https://t.co/YBcRUzIKVf
— Pitchfork (@pitchfork) August 5, 2026
Veeps, which is now part of Live Nation, has reportedly had ownership over the publications for a year or two, and the move earlier this week saw nearly all staff at each publication laid off.
Pitchfork reported that all emails to staff at BrooklynVegan bounced back when it reached out for comment, with the exception of founder Dave Levine.
NME has reached out to Veeps for a comment regarding their part in the mass layoffs, and also reached out to Live Nation for a statement about the decision.
