iHeartMedia

Debuting February 15 and Hosted by Lance Bass, “The Last Soviet,” Tells the Story of Russian Astronaut Sergei Krikalev’s 313 Days in Space During the Collapse of the USSR

Listen to the trailer HERE

NEW YORK – February 8, 2023 – iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, together with Kaleidoscope, a podcast start-up focused on highly-produced narrative series from around the world, announced today “The Last Soviet” -- a new original podcast hosted by singer and trained Russian cosmonaut, Lance Bass, about astronauts, the politics of space and the collapse of the USSR. Premiering February 15, the 8-part limited series tells the story of cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, who was left stranded in space for 313 days when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Fans can listen to the trailer now, HERE.

“I fell in love with space when my grandfather took me to see my first rocket launch as a kid. I even came close to achieving my dream of going to space 20 years ago when I trained with the Russian Space Agency for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Although I haven’t made it to space yet, I’m thrilled to be able to share my passion with listeners and provide them with a unique perspective on space travel as the host of ‘The Last Soviet,’” said Lance Bass.

In 2002, Bass underwent training in Star City, Russia and became a certified cosmonaut. He was certified both by the Russian Space Program and by NASA for a mission on the Soyuz TMA-1 spacecraft to the International Space Station. “The Last Soviet” is a story of two unimaginable experiences — being trapped in space and the collapse of a superpower — and the man who lived both. While this isn’t a political show, the series feels especially timely. It contextualizes what is happening today by providing a sense of what it was like for Sergei to live through that moment, when Russia was closing itself off to the world.

“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Lance Bass, and have him on board for this riveting show,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcast Network. “His unique personal connection to the space program, along with his passion, experience and creativity have helped bring this show together.”

"Having Lance Bass host this show is a gift. As one of the few Americans who has experienced training for space travel, let alone with the Russian Space Agency, he’s the perfect person to guide listeners through this fascinating story about the commitment of one of the most famous cosmonauts,” said Oz Woloshyn, Kaleidoscope co-founder. "’The Last Soviet’ is a perfect example of the kind of series Kaleidoscope creates — that change perspectives, broaden horizons, and replenish faith in humanity. We’re excited to continue to partner with iHeartPodcasts to create new genres of shows that focus on incredible stories from around the world,” said Kate Osborn, Executive Vice President at Kaleidoscope.”

The Last Soviet is the latest series release in the distribution deal between Kaleidoscope and iHeartPodcasts, which includes podcasts that tell largely-unknown true stories from different corners of the globe, like “OBSESSIONS: Wild Chocolate” and “Skyline Drive.”

The series is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard beginning Wednesday, February 15.

Podcast art is available for download HERE.

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About Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope is a New York-based podcast company founded by Oz Woloshyn, host of Forgotten: Women of Juarez and Sleepwalkers, and Mangesh Hattikudur, co-founder of Mental Floss and former Senior Vice President of Podcast Development at iHeartMedia. The start-up company’s mission is to create compelling narrative podcasts from around the world that take listeners to places they’ve never been and introduces them to a cast of unforgettable real-life characters. Kaleidoscope has secured sizable funding from investors like former MTV head Tom Freston and former Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post editor-in-chief Marcus Brauchli, and is in advanced talks with Hollywood studios, TV networks, and major book publishers about selling adaptations of its podcasts. It has the backing of media deal brokers The Raine Group and is represented by talent agency WME. Visit www.kaleidoscope.nyc for more information.

 New Show with Viral Father and Son Duo Debuts February 14; Listen to the trailer here

WHAT:  iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, announced today “The Johnny Drinks Podcast” hosted by TikTok Influencers John and Johnny Rondi aka JohnnyDrinks.

Take a break from everyday life and tune in to a show that will make you feel like part of the family with “The Johnny Drinks Podcast,” hosted by the father and son duo John and Johnny Rondi. Their drink making and how-to videos have taken the social media world by storm and now they have set out to conquer podcasting. Their new show will feature conversations with guests around business, life advice, entertainment and, of course, drinks! Sit back, relax, take a sip and enjoy!

WHO: JohnnyDrinks is followed by millions across all social media platforms. Created by John and Johnny Rondi during the pandemic, the father and son team have built a broad and loyal audience. Both refreshing and authentic, the Rondi family uses their platform to share everything from lifestyle tips and creative cocktails to jokes and fundamental family values.

WHEN: “The Johnny Drinks Podcast” premieres on Tuesday, February 14. The official trailer is available now – listen here!

WHERE: “The Johnny Drinks Podcast” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.

COVER ART:  Cover Art can be found here.

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New 12-episode podcast explores how the work of forensic scientists led to wrongful convictions and the role of evidence in the criminal justice system

Without confidence in evidence, our faith in the criminal legal system crumbles. A new investigative podcast co-produced by VPM, Story Mechanics and iHeartPodcasts is shining a light on how evidence itself is often flawed, disputed or even manipulated.

“Admissible: Shreds of Evidence” looks back at how evidence testing went awry at the Virginia state crime lab in the 1970s and 80s, and the ramifications that continue to the present day. Hosted by reporter Tessa Kramer, “Admissible” premieres February 7.

In the first season of “Admissible: Shreds of Evidence,” Kramer investigates the story of 13 men who were exonerated thanks to the miraculous discovery of biological evidence that had been preserved by forensic scientist Mary Jane Burton and stashed away for decades in a Virginia records facility. Burton was hailed as a hero for saving the evidence. Many speculated that she’d foreseen a future in which DNA testing could deliver more accurate convictions and clear the innocent. But when a former coworker disputes that narrative, a pattern of questionable practices and shadowy motives begins to emerge.

“In so many stories about the criminal legal system, forensic science is one chapter in a bigger story – one scene in a police procedural or one episode in a true crime podcast,” said Kramer. “What I love about our first season of 'Admissible’ is that the crime lab is the story, and the people who work in the lab are the main characters. Through my reporting, I’ve learned so much about what actually happens in a forensic lab, and I hope that listeners – especially true crime lovers – will come away with new questions about evidence and proof.”

Kramer has spent several years as a reporter and narrative audio producer. Her interest in the criminal legal system stemmed from her work on the CNN documentary series Death Row Stories. While she was pursuing her master's degree from Columbia Journalism School, Kramer began reporting on the story that would eventually become “Admissible: Shreds of Evidence.”

“Admissible” will also feature reporting from VPM News reporter Ben Paviour and editor Whittney Evans.

"Working on ‘Admissible,’ I combed through gubernatorial archives, dug into forgotten forensic reports and interviewed U.S. senators,” said Paviour. “I dug deep into the story of Earl Washington, Jr. -- an innocent man who came within nine days of being executed because of bad policing, shoddy forensics and fraught politics. The series shows how our most trusted crime-fighting tools can't escape the shortcomings of the people and society using them."

“Admissible: Shreds of Evidence” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts. New episodes of will be released weekly on Tuesdays on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard. For more information, visit admissiblepodcast.com.

About VPM
As Virginia’s home for public media, VPM connects nearly 2 million people across Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley to insightful programming in arts and culture, history, science, news and education. VPM operates public television stations VPM PBS, VPM Plus, VPM PBS KIDS, lifestyle channel VPM Create and international program channel VPM WORLD, as well as Richmond NPR station VPM News (88.9 FM) and VPM Music (107.3 FM, 93.1 FM and 88.9-HD2). In the Northern Neck (89.1 FM) and Southside Virginia (90.1 FM), listeners receive a combination of news and music. Audiences can access VPM online at VPM.org and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Listen to episode one HERE.

Storyglass, a Bertelsmann company, has teamed up with iHeartPodcasts, the No.1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, to launch a new eight-part podcast series “False Profits: Hillsong,” a deeply personal journey into the heart of a global megachurch. The podcast will debut February 2 on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Listen to episode one HERE.

Host Noemi Uribe was looking for a church where everyone was welcome and she thought she’d found it in Hillsong, but it was the most expensive mistake she ever made.  Alongside journalist Elle Hardy, Uribe will reveal stories Hillsong never wanted the public to hear about money, sex and power. This series will trace the rise and fall of Hillsong’s founder, hear from sources inside the church, and ask if Hillsong is part of a wider problem within evangelical churches. Noemi’s own story turned into one of rejection, despair and a fight for justice. Hillsong used to be home, now, for Noemi, “it’s a dumpster fire.”

“False Profits” will dive into the Hillsong experience; from Christian rock music to celebrity pastors and famous fans, tracing its journey from humble beginnings to global status, enormous wealth, and shocking scandals. Through personal testimony and evidence that was never previously made public, the series will peel back the layers of a culture of submission, exploitation, and discrimination.

The church says it’s changed, but will it face the past and the people who say they’ve been harmed by Hillsong? Uribe is on a journey seeking justice, and accountability.

"We are part of a group who are committed to great storytelling and giving under-represented voices a chance to be heard," said Steve Carsey, Storyglass Managing Director. “We are delighted to be working with iHeartPodcasts on this powerful, immersive and important series. Like us, they realised it was a story that had to be told. There have been many attempts to truly understand the inner workings of the Hillsong church, but this first-person account really brings listeners much closer than ever before. The journey Noemi and Elle go on is incredibly emotive and shocking. We’re so grateful that they chose to share their story with us.”

“False Profits: Hillsong” is the latest collaboration between Storyglass and iHeartPodcasts who have recently launched a series based on the hit gameshow Family Feud in Australia. Other Storyglass projects include Spotify’s youth history format Flex’s Semi-Factual History Lessons, Audible scripted spin-off Wentworth: The Fall Girl; true crime offering Chasing Charlie and Red Bull’s Why I Run and Mind, Set, Win.

About Storyglass

Storyglass is a Bertelsmann company focused on developing, producing and commissioning podcasts for international audiences. Working as a dedicated podcast studio within the Group, Storyglass works closely with sister companies Fremantle (television), BMG (music), Dorling Kindersley (publishing), RTL (broadcasting) and Penguin Random House (publishing).

WHAT: iHeartMedia today presented an iHeartRadio "Titanium Award" to twelve artists who have reached a threshold of 1 billion total audience spins across iHeartRadio stations of their hit song in 2022. 

WHO:  Artists that reached this milestone included Adele “Easy On Me”; Ava Max “Kings & Queens”; Drake and Lil Durk “Laugh Now Cry Later”; Doja Cat “Need To Know”; Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits”; Glass Animals “Heat Waves”; Harry Styles “As It Was”; Jack Harlow and Lil Nas X “INDUSTRY BABY”; Justin Bieber “Ghost”; Lil Nas X “THATS WHAT I WANT” and Pop Smoke “What You Know Bout Love.”

MORE: The total audience spins calculation is based on certified Mediabase airplay and is multiplied by the number of persons listening to the radio at the time of those plays, delivering total audience impressions which is the broadcast equivalent of the number of streams from a streaming music service.  

LOS ANGELES, January 30, 2023 – Chris Haynes, Senior NBA Insider for TNT and Bleacher Report, and Marc Stein, veteran NBA reporter and publisher of The Stein Line on Substack, announced today they have partnered to host a new iHeartPodcast, “#thisleague UNCUT.”

Launching today, January 30, “#thisleague UNCUT” features two of the most well-connected NBA insiders as they break down the latest hot topics with candor and bold opinions. Twice a week, Haynes and Stein - who previously worked together at ESPN - will dive deep into all the basketball storylines, rumblings and intel, with occasional appearances by heavy-hitting guests. The podcast title is inspired by the Twitter hashtag #thisleague that Stein has been using for nearly a decade. 

“Reuniting with Stein has been a long time coming and this partnership with iHeartRadio is the perfect platform for us to share our insight uncut,” said Haynes. “I’m excited to get back to work with one of my best friends in the business, and equally excited for NBA fans because we’re going to bring it like never before.”

"I’m excited beyond words to be able to team up again with Chris on #thisleague UNCUT," said Stein. "I've literally spent years, with an S, trying to break into the podcast arena with the proverbial ‘right’ pod -- and to be able to get on the mic and break things down twice a week with such a dear friend and also have iHeart joining forces with us to produce it makes me feel very fortunate."

Stein began covering professional basketball as a Cal State Fullerton student in 1989 and as a full-time beat writer in February 1994. He has been a national NBA reporter, columnist and analyst for more than 20 years after serving as a traveling writer with the Clippers, Lakers and Mavericks. The 2022-23 season is his 30th in a row without interruption covering #thisleague, and it’s his second season writing several times weekly via his own new Substack (marcstein.Substack.com) after stints at The New York Times and ESPN. Stein was the Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2019 recipient of the Curt Gowdy Media Award for print journalists for “outstanding contributions to basketball.” While “#thisleague UNCUT” is Stein’s first podcast hosting role, he’s been a regular guest on some of the most popular basketball podcasts for many years.

Haynes joined Warner Bros. Discovery ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season after several years with Yahoo and serves as a senior NBA insider for both TNT and Bleacher Report. Haynes previously served as a sideline reporter for Turner Sports and TNT. His current multi-year agreement expanded his role with the company. During his time at Yahoo, he hosted the podcast, "Posted Up With Chris Haynes.”

“#thisleague UNCUT” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Visit iHeart.com/apps to download iHeartRadio and listen on your favorite device.

From Western Sound and iHeartPodcasts, ‘Alphabet Boys’ uses secret recordings and leaked records to reveal tactics used by the FBI to infiltrate and subvert protests in Colorado mourning the deaths of Elijah McClain, De’Von Bailey, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor

 Listen to the trailer for ‘Alphabet Boys’ Season 1 HERE 
 

LOS ANGELES, CA — On February 7, 2023, “Alphabet Boys,” a new 10-episode documentary podcast from Western Sound and iHeartPodcasts, will reveal how the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) infiltrated and undermined the racial justice movement during the summer of 2020. Listen to the official audio trailer now HERE.

Hosted by investigative journalist Trevor Aaronson, “Alphabet Boys” is a new multi-season narrative podcast that brings listeners inside the world of America’s alphabet agencies, such as the FBI, CIA, DEA, and ATF. The audio documentary series dives into cases that raise a common question: Are federal agents and their informants catching bad guys or creating them? 

Season one draws from hours of secret FBI undercover recordings to tell the story of how a paid informant with a silver hearse and a proclivity for violence became a leader among Denver’s racial justice activists, encouraged violence and destruction, and attempted to set up unsuspecting activists in crimes.

“Federal law enforcement caused violence and destruction in the summer of 2020,” said Zebbodios “Zebb” Hall, a racial justice activist in Denver whose story is told in the podcast. “The FBI’s informant was a criminal who pushed activists toward violence as part of an attempt by the federal government to undermine our political movement from within.”

“Alphabet Boys” will provide the first look behind the scenes at how the FBI investigated racial justice demonstrations during the tumultuous summer of 2020. 

Among the findings in the podcast:

• Despite public assurances from Director Christopher Wray that the FBI does not investigate political ideology, internal reports about the FBI probe in Denver show that First Amendment-protected activities were the basis for the undercover operation.
• The FBI recruited a violent felon with a sexual assault conviction and paid him tens of thousands of dollars during the summer of 2020 to pose as a racial justice activist.
• The FBI informant became a leader in the Denver racial justice movement and promoted protests that turned violent and destructive.
• When concerned that his cover might be blown, the FBI informant accused leaders of the racial justice moment in Denver of being police cooperators — a controversial tactic known as “snitch-jacketing” that was employed to devastating effect during the FBI’s COINTELPRO investigations of Black political groups in the 1960s.
• An informant and undercover agent for the FBI attempted to engineer a plot, involving one racial justice activist in Denver, to assassinate Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.
• Information from the FBI’s informant in Denver prompted an additional investigation in Colorado Springs, where federal agents assigned a pink-haired undercover local cop to orchestrate an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to set up racial justice activists in gun-running conspiracies.

Told as a single narrative over 10 episodes, season one of “Alphabet Boys” features access to never-before-heard FBI undercover recordings and interviews with activists who were the targets of the federal probe. The show also reveals for the first time the identity and sordid history of the controversial informant the FBI paid to spy on racial justice activists.

“The first season of ‘Alphabet Boys’ addresses an important question: How did the FBI respond to racial justice protests during the summer of 2020?” Aaronson says. “We answer that question through FBI internal records and undercover recordings, revealing that federal agents viewed these activists as ‘anti-government extremists’ and tried to set them up in violent crimes using an informant with a long history of violence and deception.”

“As with our No. 1 hits ‘Lost Hills’ and ‘Strangeland,’ ‘Alphabet Boys’ is a deeply immersive narrative that takes listeners inside an important, untold story,” says Western Sound founder and “Alphabet Boys” co-creator Ben Adair. “With Trevor’s groundbreaking reporting and unprecedented access to leaked audio, the podcast audience can experience this invasive, bizarre — and potentially illegal — undercover investigation from the inside.”

“Alphabet Boys” premieres February 7, with the release of the first two episodes. A new episode of season one will be released every Tuesday through April 4. The show is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.

Season two, which will explore a different federal investigation, will premiere later this year. 

About Trevor Aaronson

Trevor Aaronson is an investigative journalist and host of the podcasts “American ISIS” on Audible and “High Rollers,” the second season of the “Chameleon” series. He is the author of The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI’s Manufactured War on Terrorism and a contributing writer for The Intercept. His TED Talk about the FBI’s counterterrorism program has been viewed more than 1 million times and translated into more than two dozen languages. 

About Western Sound

Western Sound is the Los Angeles-based podcast studio behind the #1 podcasts Strangeland and Lost Hills. Established in 2018 by Peabody Award-winning journalist Ben Adair, Western Sound creates its own original shows and partners with clients like Higher Ground, CNN, Audible and The Los Angeles Times. Adair is a leading creator of investigative and immersive podcasts with creator, co-creator, or EP credits on “Reveal,” “Lost Hills,” “Strangeland,” “The Big Hit Show,” “The Trials of Frank Carson,” “The Score,” and others. Western Sound’s most recent awards include Webbys for its original shows Lost Hills and The Score: Bank Robber Diaries. 

This stage play-to-podcast adaptation centers on the daughter of Josef Stalin and her quest through the Iron Curtain to America in 1967 with a secret memoir in tow

Listen to the episode 1 here.

WHAT: iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and Broadway Playwright Dan Kistrosser today announce a new scripted podcast titled “Svetlana!, Svetlana!” At 40 years old, Svetlana left everything behind for a new life in the West and the chance to finally share her story. What she found instead—a controversial commune in the Arizona desert built by Frank Lloyd Wright, a whirlwind marriage dictated by destiny and a Montenegrin matriarch with dreams of immortality—was far more complicated. In “Svetlana! Svetlana!,” neurotic playwright Dan Kitrosser unravels the weird and wild life of his greatest muse.

WHO: Dan Kitrosser is a really gay, really Jewish playwright, screenwriter and storyteller. He co-wrote the screenplay for “We The Animals” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won the NEXT: Innovator Award, won Best Narrative at OutFest, and was nominated for five Independent Spirit Awards and a GLAAD Award. His plays include “Tar Baby” (First Fringe Award, Edinburgh Fringe, and an Amnesty International Citation for Excellence), “Dead Special Crabs” and “The Mumblings” (optioned for TV series by Fox). He is currently the executive producer for a forthcoming TV show from eOne and also writing the screen adaptation of Edouard Louis’ novel “History of Violence” for Flute Films. Dan was also the resident storyteller for Central and Bryant Parks for much of the 2000s and is the Artistic Director of Writopia Lab’s Worldwide Plays Festival for young playwrights, now in its 14th year. He is a proud member of LineStorm Playwrights, The Dramatist Guild and the Writers’ Guild Association. Dan resides in Philadelphia with his fabulous husband Jordan and their ridiculous pitbull Gemma.

WHEN: “Svetlana!, Svetlana!” premieres January 30th.

WHERE: “Svetlana!, Svetlana!” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.

COVER ART: Cover Art can be found here.

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In each episode, English and co-host Greg Glod take an immersive look at America’s war on drugs and examine the true cost of five decades of policy, policing, and persecution

WHAT: iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, announced today an all-new original podcast from Lava for Good titled “The War On Drugs” hosted by famed Atlanta comedian and actor Clayton English and Attorney Greg Glod.

In 1971, President Nixon declared drug abuse ‘public enemy number one’— the first salvo in America’s War on Drugs. Fifty years later, with drug overdoses in the US at a record high, are we any closer to ‘victory’? The War on Drugs has a more profound effect on society than any of us really understands. It is embedded in the fabric of our culture and permeates our daily lives in visible and invisible ways -- perhaps the most daunting pandemic we face.

“The War on Drugs” will peel back the surface of one of the most complicated periods in U.S. history – with smart comedic takes – showing the ways the war on drugs has fueled incarceration, exacerbated addiction and hampered economic progress. By shining a spotlight on how our communities have crumbled under the weight of this so-called ‘war,’ we can explore the politicization of public health policy, institutional racism and classism in the legislation and administration of criminal law, and how decriminalization and other alternatives could bring the fruitless ‘war’ to an end.

WHO: Originally from Atlanta, Clayton English is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. He first came to national attention as the winner of NBC's 2015 ‘Last Comic Standing’ competition and has since headlined in clubs, colleges, and festivals non-stop throughout the country. Clayton has also opened for comedy greats including Dave Chappelle as well as Bill Burr. Clayton made his late-night standup debut on ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ and has appeared on several popular shows; including, ‘LOVE’ on Netflix, ‘AP Bio,’ ‘Brooklyn 99,’ ‘Unprotected Sets’ on EPIX, ‘Comedy Knockout,’ ‘Netflix is a Joke,’ and MTV’s ‘Wild N Out”.

Greg Glod is an attorney and senior criminal justice policy fellow for Americans for Prosperity. Based in Arlington, VA, Glod began his legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable Judge Laura S. Ripken on the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Maryland. He subsequently practiced at a litigation firm in Annapolis, In 2017, Glod was named to Forbes “30 Under 30” List for Law and Policy.

WHEN: “The War on Drugs” premieres Wednesday, January 25th.

WHERE: “The War On Drugs” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.

COVER ART: Cover Art can be found here.

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About Lava for Good

Lava for Good creates standout original content, podcasts, and experiences, amplifying the voices of contemporary social justice champions and inspiring action towards a more informed, empathic, and just society.

Founded and led by renowned music executive, children's book author, and philanthropist Jason Flom along with Lava Media COO Jeff Kempler in association with Signal Co. No1, Lava for Good’s #1-charting lineup of podcasts have been downloaded over 40 million times and are credited with influencing exonerations, clemencies, pardons, legislation and reforms nationwide. The lineup, which features leading experts, attorneys, activists, and journalists on the frontlines of human rights and justice movements, currently includes Bone Valley, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng, Righteous Convictions with Jason Flom, False Confessions, Junk Science, and more, and is available on all major podcast platforms.

iHeartRadio Hosts ‘J Balvin Futurum: A VR Concert Experience’ in Meta Horizon Worlds

NEW YORK, N.Y. – January 27, 2023 – iHeartMedia celebrated new music and artists recently, including the latest “On The Verge” artist, World Premiere debuts and more. This week, iHeartMedia named Coco Jones as its latest ‘On The Verge’ Hip-Hop artist with her single “ICU.” iHeartMedia’s ‘On The Verge’ program helps build awareness for up-and-coming artists through its radio airplay reach and historically, all ‘On The Verge’ artists have charted in the top 30, with more than half landing in the top 10 and over a third claiming the No. 1 chart slot.

This month, Fall Out Boy’s latest single “Love From the Other Side” had a World Premiere debut on January 18 across all iHeartRadio Alternative/Optional Rock stations. Additionally, Cole Swindell’s "Drinkaby" had a World Premiere debut on January 27 across all iHeartCountry stations.

Earlier this week, iHeartRadio announced the upcoming "J Balvin Futurum: A VR Concert Experience,” the latest iHeartRadio Concert Series in VR in partnership with Meta, premiering at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT on February 17. The event will stream in Meta Horizon Worlds for fans with a Meta Quest 2 or Meta Quest Pro headset, as well as Messenger’s Watch Together and on iHeartRadio’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Fans can subscribe now to get reminder notifications on the day of the event.

For the latest news, music fans can follow iHeartRadio on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, and visit iHeartRadio.com.