iHeartMedia

The inaugural metaverse podcast event kicks off today at iHeartLand’s State Farm Park on Roblox

WHAT: iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s The Black Effect Podcast Network today debuts a special metaverse episode event of “The Trap Nerds” in iHeartLand on Roblox, streaming for users on the main stage at State Farm Park. During iHeartLand’s inaugural podcast event, hosts Dre, Eli, Tony and Exavier will discuss the last book they read, what it means to be a Black nerd (“Blerd”), Dragon Ball Z and more. 

WHO: “The Trap Nerds” is a weekly podcast that covers all things nerd culture and beyond––comic books, Anime, gaming, science fiction, sports, and current events. Together, the four friends debate, argue, laugh, make fun of themselves and each other, while talking about everything and anything in Black nerd culture. Through unfiltered comedy, side conversations and off-topic discussions, listeners will be sure to get a kick out of this special episode and nerd out with the Blerds!

WHEN: iHeartLand visitors on Roblox will experience the event beginning today, September 29 at 7 p.m. EST and will run for 48 hours through October 1. This will be followed by an iHeartLand encore event in Fortnite beginning October 13 at 7 p.m. EST through October 19.

WHERE: All iHeartLand metaverse destinations.

Launching October 5, the historical comedy series will debut with the story of Able Archer 83, the NATO military exercise that almost caused a real nuclear war in November of 1983

Listen to the Trailer HERE

NEW YORK, NY -- September 28, 2022 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and FilmNation Entertainment, today announced "SNAFU,” a new original iHeartPodcast executive produced and hosted by actor, writer and comedian Ed Helms. Premiering October 5, the seasonal non-fiction comedy series will dissect some of history’s greatest screw-ups. The word “SNAFU” is a military acronym coined by soldiers in World War II which stands for “Situation Normal: All F***** Up.” Fans can listen to the trailer now, HERE.

On his first podcast endeavor Helms said, “I’m so thrilled to be jumping into the podcast space with 'SNAFU.' Not only is the story hilarious, utterly terrifying and somehow completely true, but it also finally gives my inner history nerd a chance to come out and party.”

Throughout the first season, Helms will tell the story of Able Archer 83, the NATO military exercise that almost caused a real nuclear war in November of 1983… or did it? Using first-hand interviews, archival audio and extensive research from both the U.S./NATO and Soviet sides, the series will pull back the curtain on what has often been called by historians “the closest we came to nuclear war since the Bay of Pigs.” Helms will also conduct interviews with notable guests including actor Matthew Broderick, former national security official Dr. Fiona Hill, former KGB sleeper agent Jack Barsky, and nuclear expert Dr. Jeffrey Lewis.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with FilmNation to launch this unique non-fiction series and honored to have the incredibly smart Ed Helms as our host,” said Will Pearson, Chief Operating Officer of iHeartPodcast Network. “Ed’s comedic take on these largely unknown historical blunders is both entertaining and educational, and we’re excited to offer history buffs new stories to enjoy.”

“SNAFU” is a production of iHeartPodcasts, FilmNation Entertainment, and Pacific Electric Picture Company, in association with Gilded Audio. Executive producers are Dylan Fagan for iHeartPodcasts, Milan Popelka for FilmNation Entertainment, Ed Helms and Mike Falbo for Pacific Electric Picture Company, Andy Chugg and Whitney Donaldson for Gilded Audio. Producers are Alyssa Martino and Tory Smith for FilmNation Entertainment, Sara Joyner and Carl Nellis for Gilded Audio.

The series is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard beginning Wednesday, October 5.

iHeartRadio Will Broadcast the Event Live on its Radio Stations Nationwide Featuring an Exclusive Performance by John Mellencamp Inside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 

September 26, 2022—The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame confirm the Hall’s newest permanent exhibition, Legends of Rock: John Mellencamp, opening September 29 at 10am.

iHeartRadio will broadcast the opening for a special live edition of “iHeartRadio ICONS with John Mellencamp” nationwide featuring a performance by Mellencamp at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mellencamp will speak with iHeartMedia’s on air personality Jim Kerr about the exhibit and a very special tour announcement. The performance and interview and will air at 5 p.m. EST on September 29 across select iHeartMedia Classic Rock, Adult Hits, Classic Hits and Variety stations nationwide.

“John is one of the great singer songwriters of our time, who has had a profound impact on music and culture,” said John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises. “We are thrilled to be there in Cleveland to broadcast this special honor for such an influential artist.”

To purchase general admission for Thursday, September 29 to experience John Mellencamp Fan Day or to reserve a free ticket to A Conversation with John Mellencamp, visit rockhall.com.

The John Mellencamp Fan Day experience will include highlights from Mellencamp’s induction and Rock Hall moments screening all day in the Ahmet Ertegun Exhibition Hall, an interactive Garage Takeover where fans can learn, play or sing Mellencamp songs in the Jam Room with actual instruments, a Long Live Rock photo opportunity for fans and plus food, bar trucks and the beer garden open, Rock Boxes located in downtown Cleveland along East 9th Street playing Mellencamp’s music, as well as educational activities on their Rock Hall EDU site.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s beloved Legends of Rock exhibit is expanding, now spanning four floors with artifacts from Prince, Stevie Nicks, Bruce Springsteen, The Roots, Jimi Hendrix and more. The Rock Hall continues to expand their collection with the inclusion of John Mellencamp to the popular, growing exhibit.

Museum goers can expect to see artifacts including the suit worn in promotional photos for Mellencamp’s 2003 album Trouble No More, his 1976 Fender Telecaster Custom guitar played onstage extensively and the studio tracking chart for “Jack and Diane” from 1981, a guitar gifted to Mellencamp by David Bowie, and also representing his art will be an oil painting by Mellencamp himself, Backbone (2022).

Mellencamp is also planning a forthcoming tour starting in the winter of 2023. Details to be announced soon. To stay up to date on tour news and more, sign up at Mellencamp.com

A reissue of Mellencamp’s beloved eighth studio album Scarecrow is set for release November 4 on Mercury/UME. The box set will include two CDs of newly remixed and remastered songs plus previously unreleased bonus tracks and alternate versions, a booklet full of rare photographs and all new liner notes by acclaimed author and music critic Anthony DeCurtis. Pre-order HERE.

Mellencamp is a member of the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame, a recipient of the John Steinbeck Award, ASCAP Foundation’s Champion Award, The Woody Guthrie Award, the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and most recently, the Founders Award, the top honor assigned by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Sept. 26 – iHeartMedia celebrated new music recently with World Premiere debuts across iHeartRadio stations from powerhouse artists, including Stevie Nicks’ new single “For What It’s Worth” on Sept. 22 across all Classic Rock stations. Lil Nas X’s song “Star Walkin’” had a World Premiere debut on Sept. 22 across all iHeartRadio CHR and Rhythm CHR stations.

The 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival took place over the weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with Pitbull opening the festival on Friday, Sept. 23. Night one of the epic two-day event saw Pitbull joined by the Black Eyed Peas, Diplo, Lionel Richie, Morgan Wallen, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Sam Smith and The Black Keys. More performers – including Avril Lavigne, Halsey, LL Cool J, Luke Combs, Marcus Mumford, Maren Morris, Megan Thee Stallion and Sean Diddy Combs – took the stage on Saturday, Sept. 24. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest and a lineup of star-studded presenters, each night the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival was broadcast live for fans via iHeartMedia radio stations throughout the country across more than 150 markets.

Additionally, the Daytime Stage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival at AREA15 brought even more fun to fans under the Vegas sun with performances by 5 Seconds of Summer, Maggie Rogers, Avril Lavigne, Big Time Rush, Girl in Red, Lauv, Chlöe, Carly Pearce, Cheat Codes, Willow, Chase Rice, Latto, Ryan Hurd, GAYLE, Lauren Spencer-Smith and JAX. In addition to the incredible live performances, the Daytime Stage also included fan zones and interactive experiences by iHeartRadio's brand partners for fans to enjoy.

Last week, Lauv took the stage on Sept. 22 at iHeartLand’s State Farm Park in Fortnite for his second show in the metaverse with iHeartMedia. Lauv performed hits like “I Like Me Better” and “F--k, I’m Lonely” as well as music from his new album All 4 Nothing including the titular track, “Stay Together” and “Stranger.” He also spoke with iHeartRadio’s JoJo Wright throughout the show about the inspiration behind his new music and how the internet has shaped and influenced his career.

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

The CW Network Will Broadcast a Two-Night Television Special on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8 from 8 – 10 p.m. ET/PT

NEW YORK – September 26, 2022 – After two days and dozens of legendary performances, the twelfth annual iHeartRadio Music Festival hosted by Ryan Seacrest concluded on Saturday evening at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with unforgettable performances over the span of two days by Avril Lavigne, Black Eyed Peas, Halsey, Lionel Richie, LL COOL J feat. DJ Z-Trip, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Megan Thee Stallion, Morgan Wallen, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Pitbull, Sam Smith, Sean Diddy Combs and The Black Keys.

The iconic weekend-long concert event included the biggest names in music across all genres on the main stage at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on the evenings of September 23 and September 24, and at the Daytime Stage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival Saturday afternoon at AREA15, which featured performances by from Avril Lavigne, Maggie Rogers, 5 Seconds of Summer, Big Time Rush, Girl in Red, Lauv, Chlöe, Willow, JAX, Chase Rice, Latto, Carly Pearce, Ryan Hurd, GAYLE and Lauren Spencer-Smith.

Highlights of the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival:

• Pitbull kicked off Friday night dancing his way through his set with fan favorites including "Don't Stop the Party," "Fireball," "Timber," "Give Me Everything," "Can't Stop Us Now" and more.
• Sam Smith surprised the crowd by bringing Kim Petras on stage to perform their new song “Unholy,” which features Kim Petras. Additionally, they captivated the audience with their hits including "Stay," "Latch" and more.
• Lionel Richie brought back 80s nostalgia. Performing in a sequin leather jacket, he took everyone on a trip down memory lane with his fan favorite songs like "Dancing On The Ceiling," "You Are," "Hello," and of course, "All Night Long." The icon also brought the audience to their feet performing his Commodores hit "Brick House.”
• The Black Keys took over the stage at T-Mobile Arena as they delivered fans a performance that included some of their biggest hits, "Howling For You," "Lo-Hi," "Wild Child," "Little Black Submarines," "Lonely Boy" and more.
• Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo got everyone "All Fired Up," showing the crowd why they are being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year. The iconic music couple rocked the house as they performed several fan favorites in a career-spanning set, including "All Fired Up," "Promises," "Love Is A Battlefield" and "Heartbreaker."
• Black Eyed Peas showed fans their iconic evolution with a mix of fan favorites, as well as some of their newer songs, like "Let's Get It Started," "Boom Boom Pow," "Mamacita," "Pump It," "Don't You Worry," "Where Is The Love," and closed out with the iconic "I Got A Feeling."
• Morgan Wallen impressed the audience with his piano playing skills by opening his set with an emotional performance of “Sand in My Boots.” He had the crowd cheering throughout the rest of his set as he performed some of his biggest hits like "Wasted On You" and "Whiskey Glasses" and more.
• Diplo closed out night one of the iHeartRadio Music Festival with an energetic set full of dance hits, and he brought out Morgan Wallen to perform their collaboration "Heartless" for the very first time.
• Avril Lavigne opened night two of the iHeartRadio Music Festival by sharing her 20-year-long discography of hits. After performing at the Daytime Stage earlier in the day, Avril kicked off her set on the main stage with one of her biggest hits, "Girlfriend." Avril flashed forward to the present day with “Bite Me.” For her final track, she rocked out to the iconic "Sk8er Boi," which fans passionately sang along to.
• Marcus Mumford celebrated his debut solo album with a passionate performance of "Prior Warning.” He went on to perform "Better Off High," which ebbed and flowed before the driving beat ultimately built up to the song's explosive chorus that got the crowd jumping. He closed his set with an emotional performance of “Better Angels.”
• Luke Combs took the stage and had the whole crowd on their feet. He performed some of his biggest hits, including "Hurricane," "When It Rains It Pours" and "Lovin' On You."
• Sean Diddy Combs kicked things off with "Victory" followed by Biggie's "Juicy" and "Mo Money Mo Problems." Later on, Diddy brought out his son King Combs, who performed his latest single "Can't Stop Won't Stop." Towards the end of his set, he dedicated his performance to those he lost in the past like his late ex Kim Porter, music executive Andre Harrell, Heavy D and the Notorious B.I.G.
• Maren Morris captivated the audience with some of her fan favorites including “Circles” and “The Bones.” Her set also included Ryan Hurd for an adorable husband and wife moment on stage performing “I Can’t Love You Anymore.” She closed her set by taking the whole audience to church. Morris delivered a soulful performance of her 2016 smash-hit “My Church,” earning tons of praise from the T-Mobile arena crowd.
• LL COOL J ft. DJ Z-Trip blew the crowd away with a vibrant mix of his classic hits, including "Rock The Bells," "Jack The Ripper" and "Headsprung." He kept the crowd on their feet by performing "Doin It," "Lougin'" and "Jingalin Baby."
• Halsey came out with staggering stage presence and primed the enthusiastic crowd with "Nightmare" then went on to perform “You Should Be Sad,” “So Good,” “Bad At Love” and more. Turning 28 in a few days, Halsey referred to the festival as their “birthday party.”
• Megan Thee Stallion hit the stage to close out the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival with an electric performance of songs off her new album Traumazine including "Ungrateful" featuring Key Glock, "Her" and "Plan B." She also performed fan favorites like "WAP," "Body," "Thot Sh*t" and "Freak Nasty."

Highlights of the Daytime Stage at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival:

• JAX picked up the action on Saturday when she kicked off the Daytime Stage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival with her single “90s Kid.” She then performed a cover of “Teenage Dirtbag” before ending her set with her hit song “Victoria’s Secret,” which has taken TikTok by storm.
• Lauren Spencer-Smith had an emotional set under the Vegas sun when she ended with her single “Fingers Crossed,” showing off her vocals with the heart wrenching song about lost love.
• Ryan Hurd pumped up the crowd with songs from his debut album, including “Coast,” “Platonic,” “To A T,” “Pass It On,” as well as “Chasing After You,” featuring his wife Maren Morris.
• Girl in Red took the Daytime Stage by storm with hits like “Bad Idea,” “Serotonin” and “I’ll Call You Mine.”
• Cheat Codes brought their energetic set to the crowd when Trevor Dahl hopped off the stage and serenaded fans in the front rows. They performed hit songs like "Lean On Me" and "Pretty Girl" and later “I Remember.”
• GAYLE connected with her fans in the crowd thanks to her smash hit “abcdefu,” even pausing her set to chat with some fans who had traveled across several states to see her perform at the Daytime Stage for the first time. The teenage superstar admitted she was intimidated by following Avril Lavigne, and the two seemed to have hit it off in a sweet picture perfect moment backstage.
• Chase Rice made sure the crowd stayed hydrated as he threw some beers to fans while singing “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” and kept the party going with several fan favorite songs, including “Ready Set Roll,” “Lonely If You Are,” “Eyes On You” and “Cruise” – the smash-hit that Rice co-wrote and Florida Georgia Line.
• Chlöe turned up the heat with an action-packed set featuring songs like “Have Mercy,” “Do It,” “For the Night” and “Treat Me.” She also brought Cheat Codes back out on stage for a cover of Lumidee's "Never Leave."
• Maggie Rogers rocked out during her set, performing songs like “Shatter,” "Want Want," “That’s Where I Am” and "Be Cool" from her recent sophomore album Surrender and older hits like “Light On” from her debut album. Rogers also kept a careful eye over the crowd in the Vegas heat, reminding fans to take care of one another.
• Carly Pearce kicked off her set with her sassy single “Diamondback” and kept the crowd pumped up with other favorites like “What He Didn’t Do,” “Next Girl,” her duet with Ashley McBride “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” and “I Hope You’re Happy Now.”
• 5 Seconds of Summer rocked the stage to the delight of the crowd, many of whom had stayed in the Vegas sun for hours just to catch their set. They performed their hit songs like "No Shame" and "Easier" and had the crowd screaming along to “She’s So Perfect” – their first-ever hit. They ended their set with their song “Youngblood.”
• Lauv performed hit songs like “I Like Me Better” and got deep with the crowd when he revealed his song “Modern Loneliness” was inspired by his own struggles with feeling lonely before performing it.
• Latto kept the energy up with songs like her hit “Big Energy” and other songs like “B*tch From Da Souf,” “Soufside” and more. She also had a sweet moment with Chloe backstage when both singers realized they were twinning in their stage bodysuits.
• Willow performed the ultimate set at the Daytime Stage, rocking the crowd with hits like “Meet Me At Our Spot” and more. They were also spotted watching earlier sets from the pit with the fans.
• Big Time Rush closed out the Daytime Stage with a dose of nostalgia as they sang iconic hits like “Boyfriend” and “City Is Ours.”

The 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival also featured celebrity appearances including Alexis Mateo and Coco Montrese from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Ben Higgins, Bethany Joy Lenz, Drew Sidora, Dixie D'Amelio, Hayley Kiyoko, Hilarie Burton, JAX, Jennie Garth, Kristin Cavallari, Kyle Richards, Lance Bass, Leslie Jones, Lisa Ann Walter and Sheryl Lee Ralph from Abbott Elementary, Sophia Bush, Teddi Mellencamp, The Miz and Tori Spelling.

The CW exclusively livestreamed both nights of the festival via The CW app and CWTV.com. The CW Network will broadcast a two-night television special on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8 from 8 – 10 p.m. ET/PT. Fans streamed the Daytime Stage at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival on iHeartRadio’s Facebook and YouTube.

Immediately following both nights of the iHeartRadio Music Festival, the official Post Show Presented by M&M’s aired live on iHeartRadio’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. Hosted by Maxwell & Crystal Rosas of Z100 New York, they covered the biggest moments of each night. Fans not in attendance can scroll through #iHeartFestival2022 to see tweets and retweets from fans as well as artists and Festival presenters.

Proud partners of this year's event include Arrowhead® Brand 100% Mountain Spring Water, Audible - The home of storytelling, Capital One, Coors Light, The CW, Famous Footwear, The Hartford Small Business Insurance, Hyundai, M&M's®, T-Mobile and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

The iHeartRadio Music Festival is co-produced by John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises and Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. For more details about the iHeartRadio Music Festival visit iHeartRadio.com/festival.

To access photos and b-roll from the event please visit:

Photo credits: Credits can be found in the filename e.g. Greg Noire for iHeartRadio. Use guide HERE.

PW: iHRMF22_BestOf!!

2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival – Best Of Night One (September 23) https://iheartradio.photoshelter.com/galleries/C0000nFCXQvrCo38/G0000eNTHwljUyX4/Night-One-Best-Of

2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival – Best Of Night Two (September 24)

https://iheartradio.photoshelter.com/galleries/C0000nFCXQvrCo38/G0000Nd4qCevIgBY/Night-Two-Best-Of

2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival – Best Of Daytime Stage (September 24)

https://iheartradio.photoshelter.com/galleries/C0000FJBHLOUbOs4/G0000wEwFXIezU.U/2022-DTS-Best-Of

2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival – Backstage

https://dam.gettyimages.com/assignments/2022-iheartradio-music-festival-backstage

2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival – Broadcast

https://dam.gettyimages.com/assignments/2022-iheartradio-music-festival-broadcast

2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival – Press Room

https://dam.gettyimages.com/assignments/2022-iheartradio-music-festival-press-room

2022 Daytime Stage At The iHeartRadio Music Festival (September 24)

https://dam.gettyimages.com/assignments/2022-daytime-stage-at-iheartradio-music-festival

To access b-roll from this event please visit:

2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival:

https://we.tl/t-EVgOaj8ZE1

2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival – Daytime Stage (September 24):

https://we.tl/t-mdAbOd7wel

New solution combines iHeart’s unparalleled audio reach with Neustar’s industry-leading marketing attribution solution to measure consumer engagement and the sales impact of broadcast radio alongside all other advertising channels

New York – September 23, 2022 – Neustar, Inc., a TransUnion company, announced today a new partnership with iHeartMedia, the leading audio company in America, to include broadcast radio in end-to-end marketing attribution. The solution expands the Neustar Unified Measurement Solution, which spans Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) and Marketing Attribution solution to include the iHeart broadcast radio universe. Neustar is the first attribution service to unify the measurement of radio, which reaches over 90 percent of Americans a month, with all other channels into one platform. This innovation provides critical insights into the incremental contribution the massive reach of broadcast radio has on consumer purchase behavior.

The inclusion of radio in Neustar’s measurement solution is the only solution to seamlessly integrate iHeart’s radio engagement data with Neustar’s customer-level marketing attribution models. Neustar marketing attribution solutions leverage more comprehensive identity and machine learning capabilities available, which power advanced identity resolution and marketing analytics for 70% of Fortune 100 brands.

“The scale and effectiveness of broadcast radio is undeniable,” said Brian Kaminsky, Chief Data Officer and President of Revenue Strategies, iHeartMedia. “Now with Neustar, we are able to offer brands a new level of granular user-level consumer analysis, to ensure that all media channels –including broadcast radio, are used to optimize their marketing plans and drive the results they are seeking.”

The partnership, first announced at iHeartMedia’s AudioCon 2022 conference, provides a more complete picture of the important role that broadcast radio plays in today’s multi-channel advertising world. With these tools, advertisers can now better understand consumers' behavior, inclusive of broadcast radio, to measure and optimize their marketing investments holistically across channels.

"iHeartMedia has always been at the forefront of measurement and attribution and we are excited to help marketers gain more visibility into how their broadcast radio investments are impacting the customer journey,” said Joe Pagano, VP, Consulting Services at Neustar. “By adding broadcast radio at scale to our current streaming audio measurement capabilities, we’ve completed the audio measurement picture."

About Neustar

Neustar, Inc., a TransUnion company, is a leader in identity resolution providing the data and technology that enable trusted connections between companies and people at the moments that matter most. Neustar offers industry-leading solutions in marketing, risk and communications that responsibly connect data on people, devices and locations, continuously corroborated through billions of transactions. Learn how your company can benefit from the power of trusted connections. home.neustar

About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)

TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing an actionable picture of each person so they can be reliably represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good®. A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences, and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people. https://www.transunion.com

My Cultura will also continue to expand its impressive slate of successful podcasts that elevate Latinx voices and stories to include five new shows executive produced by Valderrama

NEW YORK (September 22, 2022) -- iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, together with My Cultura, the company’s podcast network dedicated to elevating Latinx voices and stories, announced today that actor, producer, entrepreneur and activist Wilmer Valderrama (NCIS, Encanto, That 70’s Show) has expanded his role with My Cultura to become a shareholder. In addition, Valderrama will help to curate the network's slate of Latinx-focused podcasts and has committed to five new shows that will be executive produced by and/or star him. The news comes as the network celebrates an impressive first year, with monthly podcast downloads across My Cultura shows more than doubling since the beginning of this year. The network’s dedication to inclusive content has garnered a large audience of both Gen Z and Millennials with 9 in 10 of the network’s total downloads coming from listeners aged 18-49. The network has also circulated funds back into Latinx communities with donations to various organizations totaling over $400k in this first year.

“Representation shapes not just how others see us, but also how we see ourselves. It is imperative that every facet of our media includes narratives that uplift Latino and Hispanic voices. At WV Entertainment it is our mission to not just choose purposeful projects that accurately represent the stories of the Latinx community, but to also make sure these stories are accessible to everyone. We are so grateful to our partners at iHeartMedia for seeing the value in this and prioritizing the need to highlight the joy, the power, and the heart of our community in ways that are still all too rare,” said Valderrama.

​​“We are excited to have Wilmer on board in an even larger, expanded capacity as a shareholder in iHeart’s My Cultura Podcast Network,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia’s Digital Audio Group. “His energy, experience and creativity will set this network up for even further success in year two and beyond.”

Valderrama began his relationship with My Cultura in Summer 2021 when he launched his podcast “Essential Voices with Wilmer Valderrama.” Executive produced by Valderrama and Leo Klemm via his production banner WV Entertainment and Clamor, the weekly series features intimate conversations and interviews with people on the frontlines of food service, transportation, child-care and other systems where workers’ voices are often overlooked.

“We’re incredibly proud of the rapid growth our network has seen in its first year,” said Gisselle Bances, SVP, Head of Production and Development for iHeartMedia’s My Cultura. “We are the first majority Latinx-owned podcast network, and we are grateful to our partners and our diverse roster of hosts, including Wilmer, who continue to further My Cultura’s mission to tell our own stories. It’s stories by us for everyone to enjoy.”

The My Cultura Podcast Network was announced in May 2021 in partnership with Enrique Santos, iHeartMedia’s top-rated on-air personality and President and Chief Creative Officer of iHeartLatino. It is home to hit podcasts including “Connections with Eva Longoria,” “Princess of South Beach'' starring Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) and Sheryl Rubio (Casa de las Flores), “Wrestling with Freddie” with Freddie Prinze, Jr.,  “Sisters of the Underground” executive produced by Eva Longoria and Dania Ramirez, “Chiquis and Chill,” “Lone Lobos with Xolo Maridueña and Jacob Bertrand,” “Escuela Secreta,” “Enrique Santos Podcast” and many more. Listeners can hear all My Cultura shows on iHeartRadio and anywhere podcasts are found.

About Wilmer Valderrama:

Actor, producer, entrepreneur and activist Wilmer Valderrama is beloved for his role as exchange student ‘Fez’ on the Emmy-nominated series That 70s Show. He currently stars in the #1 TV drama NCIS on CBS, and recently announced he is developing a live-action “Zorro” series at Disney Branded Television in which he will star and executive produce. On the big screen, he most recently lent his voice to the hit Academy Award-winning Disney animated film Encanto. Outside of acting and producing via his WV Entertainment banner, Valderrama is a passionate activist who lends his voice to organizations including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), Voto Latino, the USO as their Global Ambassador, and HARNESS, which he co-founded with America Ferrera and Ryan Piers Williams. He also recently partnered with John Pollack to launch Allied Management Group, which focuses on partnering with, collaborating, and representing new and existing Latino voices across traditional and digital media.

iHeartRadio and Capital One Announce Free Official NFTs of the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival

WHAT: On Friday, September 23 and Saturday, September 24, iHeartMedia celebrates the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival with an iconic two-day line-up of performances. Today, iHeartMedia reveals its superstar list of presenters and attendees at the iHeartRadio Music Festival and Daytime Stage. Additionally, iHeartRadio and Capital One announced they have joined together to create free official NFTs of the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival.

WHO: Celebrity presenters for the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival include Alexis Mateo and Coco Montrese from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Ben Higgins, Bethany Joy Lenz, Drew Sidora, Dixie D'Amelio, Hayley Kiyoko, Hilarie Burton, JAX, Jennie Garth, Kristin Cavallari, Kyle Richards, Lance Bass, Leslie Jones, Lisa Ann Walter and Sheryl Lee Ralph from Abbott Elementary, Sophia Bush, Teddi Mellencamp, The Miz, and Tori Spelling.

Celebrity attendees include Ashley Reyes from The CW’s Walker, Bob Guiney, Christy Carlson Romano, Genevieve Parisi, Jason Tartick, Jenna Ushkowitz, Katherine McNamara from The CW’s Walker Independence, Kevin McHale, Matt Barr from The CW’s Walker Independence, Meghan King, Michelle Young, Rachel Recchia, Rider Strong, Scott Patterson, Victoria Fuller, and Will Friedle.

The epic two-day main stage event will be hosted by Ryan Seacrest and will feature performances by Avril Lavigne, Black Eyed Peas, Halsey, Lionel Richie, LL COOL J feat. DJ Z-Trip, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Megan Thee Stallion, Morgan Wallen, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Pitbull, Sam Smith, Sean Diddy Combs and The Black Keys.

The 2022 Daytime Stage will take place on Saturday, September 24 at the new immersive event and entertainment district, AREA15 in Las Vegas and will feature live performances from Avril Lavigne, Maggie Rogers, 5 Seconds of Summer, Big Time Rush, Girl in Red, Lauv, Chlöe, Willow, JAX, Chase Rice, Latto, Carly Pearce, Ryan Hurd, GAYLE and Lauren Spencer-Smith, with more to be announced. In addition to live performances from today’s hottest artists, the Daytime Stage will also include fan zones and interactive experiences by iHeartRadio's brand partners.

Each night, the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival will broadcast live for fans via iHeartMedia radio stations throughout the country across more than 150 markets, on iHeartRadio.com and on the iHeartRadio app. In addition, The CW will exclusively livestream both nights of the festival via The CW app and CWTV.com. The CW Network will broadcast a two-night television special on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8 from 8–10 p.m. ET/PT.

Proud partners of this year's event include Arrowhead® Brand 100% Mountain Spring Water, Audible - The home of storytelling, Capital One, Coors Light, The CW, Famous Footwear, The Hartford Small Business Insurance, Hyundai, M&M's®, T-Mobile, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., with more to be announced.

WHEN:  Friday, September 23, 2022 and Saturday, September 24, 2022

WHERE: iHeartRadio Music Festival T-Mobile Arena (3780 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 89158)

Daytime Stage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival AREA15 (3215 S Rancho Dr Las Vegas, NV 89102)

MORE: iHeartRadio and Capital One have joined together to create free official NFTs of the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival. All fans will have two opportunities to own the unique 3D collectibles and Capital One Cardholders are eligible for an exclusive NFT that unlocks a chance to score a VIP trip and tickets to next year’s iHeartRadio Music Festival.

The first NFT will be available from September 19 to September 21, or while supplies last, and there will be two different NFTs dropping in that period.

• The first is an iconic collectible iHeartRadio Music Festival NFT that will be available to anyone. Only 5,000 NFTs will be available to redeem.

• The second is for Capital One Cardholders only who will enter the first six digits of their card number and unlock the chance to score their free NFT. Those who successfully redeem their iHeartRadio Music Festival Cardholder NFT will be automatically entered to win a VIP trip and tickets to the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Festival. Only 500 NFTs will be available to redeem and there will only be three lucky winners selected for a VIP trip and tickets to the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Festival.

• Fans can enter for a chance to win at iHeartRadio.com/CapitalOneNFT

The second NFT drop will be for anyone attending this year’s iHeartRadio Music Festival. Fans on site can enter by scanning a QR code for a chance to redeem an NFT, with 1,000 available each night. Additionally, one lucky winner who successfully redeems this NFT will receive three VIP flyaway trips to a 2022 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Show, iHeartRadio ALTer Ego 2023 and iHeartCountry Festival 2023. More information will be shared at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival.

iHeartRadio Music Festival and Capital One NFTs are free; no purchase necessary.

Tickets for the iHeartRadio Music Festival and Daytime Stage are on sale now to the general public via AXS.com.

The Two-Day Main Stage Event Will Also Feature Performances from Avril Lavigne, Black Eyed Peas, Halsey, Lionel Richie, LL COOL J feat. DJ Z-Trip, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Megan Thee Stallion, Morgan Wallen, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Pitbull, Sam Smith, The Black Keys and More

 

Hosted by Ryan Seacrest on September 23 and 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas 

WHAT: iHeartMedia announced today that Sean Diddy Combs has been added to the iconic lineup for the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival. The annual legendary two-day concert event takes place on Friday, September 23 and Saturday, September 24 at Las Vegas’ hottest entertainment venue, T-Mobile Arena. 

WHO: This year, the epic two-day event will be hosted by Ryan Seacrest and will feature performances by Avril Lavigne, Black Eyed Peas, Halsey, Lionel Richie, LL COOL J feat. DJ Z-Trip, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Megan Thee Stallion, Morgan Wallen, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Pitbull, Sam Smith, Sean Diddy Combs, The Black Keys and more.

WHEN: Friday, September 23, 2022 and Saturday, September 24, 2022

WHERE: ​iHeartRadio Music Festival 

T-Mobile Arena 

3780 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89158 

 

MORE: Each night, the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival will broadcast live for fans via iHeartMedia radio stations throughout the country across more than 150 markets. The CW Network will broadcast a two-night television special this October. In addition, The CW will exclusively livestream both nights of the festival via The CW app and CWTV.com. 

Tickets are on sale now to the general public for the iHeartRadio Music Festival and Daytime Stage via AXS.com.

Proud partners of this year's event include Arrowhead® Brand 100% Mountain Spring Water, Audible - The home of storytelling, Capital One, Coors Light, The CW, Famous Footwear, The Hartford Small Business Insurance, Hyundai, M&M's®, T-Mobile, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., with more to be announced.

The 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival is co-produced by John Sykes and Tom Poleman for iHeartMedia; and Michael Dempsey for Dempsey Productions. 

For more details about the iHeartRadio Music Festival visit iHeartRadio.com/festival.

For news and information about the Daytime Stage, fans can visit iHeartRadio.com/DayStage or follow #iHeartDayStage on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Artists and/or event are subject to change or cancellation without notice. 

Exclusive Performance to Premiere in VR

WHAT: iHeartMedia presents “iHeartRadio LIVE with Carrie Underwood” in celebration of her new album Denim & Rhinestones. Fans with a Meta Quest 2 headset can view the performance in Meta Horizon Worlds and on iHeartRadio Facebook on Thursday, September 29, 2022, at 9 p.m. ET. The lead single from Denim & Rhinestones, “Ghost Story,” is currently in the Top 10 at country radio and has garnered over 133 million global streams. As part of a new partnership with iHeartRadio and Meta, this concert is the first of more shows to be announced this fall.

WHO: Carrie Underwood is a true multi-format, multi-media superstar, spanning achievements in music, television, film, and as a New York Times bestselling author and successful entrepreneur. She has sold more than 66 million records worldwide, recorded 28 #1 singles (14 of which she co-wrote), and has seven albums that are certified Platinum or Multi-Platinum by the RIAA, all while continuing to sell out arena tours across North America and the UK. All 10 of her albums (including nine studio albums and her 2014 Greatest Hits: Decade #1) – three of which she co-produced – have debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 chart for all genres, beginning with her first album, Some Hearts, which was released in 2005.  She has won over 100 major awards including 8 GRAMMY® Awards, 16 ACM Awards including three for Entertainer of the Year (the first female in history to win twice and the only female ever to win three times), 25 CMT Music Awards (holding the record for the most award wins ever for the show), 7 CMA Awards, and 17 American Music Awards. She has also built a successful business portfolio inspired by her passion for health and wellness. She founded and created the fitness and lifestyle brand, CALIA by Carrie Underwood, and her first book, FIND YOUR PATH was an instant New York Times bestseller. She launched her fitness app, fit52, in 2020, and expanded her lifestyle portfolio with an equity partnership with BODYARMOR Sports Drink in 2021. She was the first artist to perform at the new Resorts World Theatre, where her ongoing REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency, began with sold-out runs in December 2021 and throughout Spring 2022, and will continue in 2023. Her new album, Denim & Rhinestones, which she co-produced with David Garcia, is out now, and the first single from the album, “Ghost Story” is currently climbing the charts and has garnered over 133 million global streams. Carrie’s 43-city U.S. arena tour, THE DENIM & RHINESTONES TOUR, kicks off October 15 with dates throughout Fall 2022 and Spring 2023. 

WHEN: Thursday, September 29, 2022, at 9 p.m. ET 

WHERE: Fans with a Meta Quest 2 headset can view the VR performance in Meta Horizon Worlds and on iHeartRadio’s Facebook.

QUOTES:  “I’m thrilled to be partnering with iHeartRadio to celebrate my album Denim & Rhinestones and bring these new songs to my fans in VR with Meta Horizon Worlds,” said Carrie Underwood. “This is one of my favorite albums to perform live, and it’s so fun to bring this new music to life in such an exciting way.”

“This new partnership is a continuation of our commitment at iHeartMedia to connect artists to their fans on the most exciting new entertainment platforms,” said John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises. “We are excited to be able to kick this off with a performance from Carrie Underwood. More to come on this new partnership with Meta.”