Barbie Radio Is Available Today Exclusively on iHeartRadio
The 24-Hour Digital Radio Station Features Barbie as a DJ, Playing Songs from Her Extensive Music Catalog and Sharing Inspirational Commentary
NEW YORK and EL SEGUNDO, Calif – October 15, 2021 – Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) and Warner Music Group’s (NASDAQ: WMG) Arts Music division announced they are partnering with iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) to launch Barbie Radio today exclusively on iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service, and iHeartRadio Family, a stand-alone app featuring music, stories and radio stations perfect for kids.
Barbie Radio, the first branded radio channel from Mattel, is a 24-hour digital only iHeartRadio station that stars Barbie as the DJ playing songs from her extensive music catalog, including tracks from her latest album, Barbie: Big City, Big Dreams from the musical special of the same name now streaming on Netflix. DJ Barbie will also share stories with listeners that are designed to remind girls they can be anything.
“Barbie has been inspiring, empowering, and entertaining kids for over 60 years and we are always looking to reach fans in new ways. Leveraging Barbie’s music catalogue of hundreds of original songs is one way for us to do that. Partnering with iHeartMedia gives us the opportunity to engage fans and bring Barbie’s original music to more families than ever before,” said Andrea Carpenter, Senior Director, Content Distribution & Partnerships, Mattel.
“iHeartRadio is inviting kids and families to turn up the volume on even more hits from Barbie with the exciting launch of Barbie Radio,” said Kavi Halemane, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Digital Programming for iHeartRadio. “We are excited to team up with Mattel and Warner Music to bring Barbie and her favorite music to millions of iHeartRadio listeners across the U.S.”
As the #1 global toy property*, original girl empowerment brand and most diverse doll on the market, Barbie is recognized as a mission-led brand that kids love and parents trust. Barbie Radio is accessible 24/7 via iHeartRadio which is available across more than 250 device platforms including online, mobile devices, wearables, in-car, in-home, gaming consoles and more. Fans can visit iHeartRadio.com/Barbie to listen on the web or go to iHeartRadio.com/apps to download the iHeartRadio app on their favorite device and listen to Barbie Radio today anywhere they are. Parents can visit iHeartRadioFamily.com to find supported iHeartRadio Family devices.
Mattel is expanding Barbie’s musical repertoire with DJ Barbie on Barbie Radio after recently introducing Barbie Music Producer dolls, designed to introduce girls to an underrepresented career where women make up less than 3% of music producers and shine a light on the importance of women’s stake in the industry. Barbie joined forces with Grammy Award-nominated music producer, songwriter, singer and actress Ester Dean and Girls Make Beats – an organization dedicated to expanding the female presence of music producers, DJs and audio engineers – to inspire more girls to explore a future in music production.
Editor’s Note: Download the official Barbie Radio logo HERE.
*Source: The NPD Group/ Retail Tracking Service, U.S. Dollar Sales, January-December 2020
About Arts Music
Since its launch in 2017, Warner Music Group’s Arts Music division has rapidly expanded their Kids & Family content, partnering with Sesame Workshop, Mattel, Skyship Entertainment for Super Simple Songs, Fred Rogers Productions for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Build-A-Bear Workshop, and Cloudco Entertainment for Holly Hobbie. Arts Music is also the home of the Warner Classics and Erato labels for classical music and Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records for musical theater.
About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain, and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO®, and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music, and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us online at mattel.com.