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Samsung and All Def Digital Collaborate to Discover The Next Big Thing in Music
[March 12, 2014]

Samsung and All Def Digital Collaborate to Discover The Next Big Thing in Music


AUSTIN, Texas --(Business Wire)--

Russell Simmons and Steve Rifkind, co-founders of All Def Digital (ADD) and All Def Music, along with Samsung (News - Alert) Telecommunications America, LLC (Samsung Mobile) and Narrative_ today announced the launch of ADD52 in partnership with the world's leading music entertainment company Universal Music Group (News - Alert) (UMG). ADD52 is an innovative emerging artist platform that will debut one original music single and video each week by emerging, unsigned artists for fifty-two consecutive weeks.

Steve Rifkind, Russell Simmons, Todd Pendleton and DJ Skee at launch of ADD52 at SXSW (Photo: Busine ...

Steve Rifkind, Russell Simmons, Todd Pendleton and DJ Skee at launch of ADD52 at SXSW (News - Alert) (Photo: Business Wire)

Using an open platform, ADD52 is built to attract musicians around the world who have an original song and the dream of a record deal. To take their shot, artists simply post their tracks to ADD52.com, then use the various tools at their fingertips to promote on the site and across social media.

Acting as a new kind of A&R engine, ADD52 relies on a proprietary algorithm that bubbles the best talent to the top through a data set that blends views, watch times, engagement cues, social activity, influencer interest and more.

"For artists, it's the place to be discovered. For music lovers, it's the place to discover," explains Mr. Simmons.

In addition to the ADD52 digital and social presence, Samsung's new radio streaming service, Milk Music™, will be a core platform to showcase the emerging artists and their music on a dedicated, curated ADD52 station available exclusively on Milk. Available now through Google Play for select Samsung Galaxy smartphones, Milk is a new, free* and ad-free radio service that offers an effortless and entertaining way to enjoy the music you love and discover new, unexpected music. Fully customizable, Milk is designed with an elegant, easy-to-use interface and more than 200 stations that makes tuning into your favorite music a more enjoyable and enriching experience.

"At Samsung we're about introducing The Next Big Thing and togeher with ADD52 we're giving emerging artists the platform to launch their careers," said Todd Pendleton, chief marketing officer for Samsung Telecommunications America. "Milk is all about discovering new music and the music you already love and now it will give up-and-coming artists an incredible opportunity to be heard by millions."



Selected artists will enjoy more than just desired exposure - they are also eligible for production budgets to create their own music videos and remixes, access to world-class studios, and mentorship from industry legends.

"This type of artist empowerment marks huge progress for the music industry," Rifkind said. "The artists will be featured on multiple platforms including Samsung's new Milk radio service, ADD52 TV show hosted by DJ Skee as well as music for the HoopMixtape franchise, which collectively have viewership in the millions."


With community-sourced music content at its core, ADD52 will expand into a content ecosystem that includes audio, music videos, profiles, live performances, collaborations with established stars, and a slate of artist-focused video content that will live on ADD's growing YouTube channel.

"ADD52 represents the kind of innovation and experimentation the industry needs," said Chairman and CEO of UMG Lucian Grainge. "It is also the very kind of progressive thinking and willingness to explore new areas that we'd hoped to see when we partnered with Russell, Steve and the All Def Digital team, and we are pleased to be a part of it."

Co-founded in 2013 by Simmons and Tricia Clarke-Stone (CEO), Narrative_ plays a vital role in bringing ADD52 to life and sustaining engagement over the long run. "Success will be driven by a variety of factors that start with user experience, and ladder up to a whole new generation of superstars" Clarke-Stone said.

*Milk is available now exclusively for Galaxy consumers to download on Google (News - Alert) Play on the Galaxy S® 4, Galaxy S® III, Galaxy Note® 3, Galaxy Note® II, Galaxy Mega™ and Galaxy S® 4 mini across all carrier and retail channels as well as the Galaxy S® 5 in April.

About All Def Digital

All Def Digital (ADD) is a new generation media company comprising one of the fastest growing premium entertainment content YouTube channels, a multichannel network, record label and management company. ADD develops original content based on inherent insights and authentic connections it cultivates with diverse audiences. ADD was created to bring a new generation of entertainment to the 1 billion screens around the world seeking exciting content that speaks to a new and rapidly evolving culture. To learn more about ADD, please visit www.youtube.com/AllDefDigital.

About Narrative

Co-founded by Tricia Clarke-Stone and Russell Simmons, Narrative is a marketing, entertainment and technology collaborative focused on developing exceptional brand experiences across platforms through the breakthrough power of popular culture. Rooted in strategy and employing a blend of cultural insights, product development and fearless storytelling, the mission of Narrative is to amplify brands into the new American mainstream. For more information, please visit http://narrative.is.

About Samsung Telecommunications America

Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, (Samsung Mobile) a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets, wireless infrastructure and other telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs, cameras, home appliances, printers, LTE (News - Alert) systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 286,000 people across 80 countries with annual sales of US$216.7 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.


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