MTV and Extreme Music are teaming up to create a one-of-a-kind hybrid of music licensing and production as a tool to cultivate and market emerging independent talent, and ASCAP members are a natural fit.
The result, HYPE Music, works with unsigned artists to produce new songs that go straight to the shortlist for placement on MTV Networks' programming and which will be available for licensing to Extreme's global base of professional users. HYPE will act as both label and distributor, so every step of the process — from songwriting, to production, and ultimately to TV airtime — happens all under one roof.
Joe Cuello, SVP of Creative Music Integration for MTV said HYPE gives MTV "a platform to bring those artists to the forefront within our programming and beyond."
Extreme Music CEO Russell Emanuel said "leveraging [HYPE's] ability to license tracks directly in high profile shows will dramatically boost an act's profile."
ASCAP members Locksley, New Cassettes, National Skyline and Atlantic Connection are among the first to join HYPE's selective artist base.
Locksley, a four-piece rock band out of Madison, Wisconsin who now calls New York City home, have sold more than 60,000 albums worldwide. They have played on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Late Nigh with Conan O'Brien. Their music has been featured in the TV trailer for "Rango" and in "Cloverfield."
Northampton, England natives New Cassettes are a five-piece pop band who have made a name for themselves with plays on Radio 1, BBC6 and XFM. They stopped off in the U.S. this year to perform at the 2011 SXSW Festival in Austin, TX.
One-man band National Skyline is an indie project of Jeff Garber, who writes all the songs, records all the music and plays all the instruments. His work has been featured in MTV's "Jersey Shore," "The Hills," "16 And Pregnant," VH1's "The T.O. Show," a commercial for Rhapsody, and Animal Planet's "Jockeys."
Atlantic Connection is an urban music producer, DJ, engineer, and label owner. AC's music has been featured in more than a dozen different shows, including MTV's "Jersey Shore," "Gone Too Far," "Disaster Date," "Parental Control," "Cribs," "Pimp My Ride," "Tough Love," as well as VH1's "Morning Buzz Live Show" and "My Super Sweet 16."
Click the artist links to hear full-length previews of their music or to download their songs, or head to hypemusic.com for more information.