A sophisticated Lady Gaga and music legend Elton John cover this months issue of Billboard Magazine.

While artists can influence the world through their music and words, sometimes you need cash to do the talking for you. That’s why when staring down the world’s countless problems, many musicians have started their own charity initiatives to make the change they want to see in the world possible.

In the new issue of Billboard, on stands Thursday, Oct. 15, we take a look at philanthropy in the music biz. Lady Gaga talks about her Born This Way Foundation and the difficult process of recording “Til It Happens To You” for The Hunting Ground, a documentary about campus rape. Elton John pens an exclusive essay about how organizations (including the Elton John AIDS Foundation) have helped curbed HIV infection globally — and that there’s still a long way to go.