Samsung Creates Digital Music Platform for Emerging Artists
Steve Rifkind, Russell Simmons, Todd Pendleton, and DJ Skee at the launch of ADD52 at SXSW.
Samsung Mobile, along with Russell Simmons and Steve Rifkind, co-founders of All Def Digital (ADD) and All Def Music, has launched ADD52 in partnership with the world’s leading music entertainment company Universal Music Group (UMG).
ADD52 is an emerging artist platform that will debut one original music single and video each week by emerging, unsigned artists for fifty-two consecutive weeks.
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.
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.
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 easy-to-use interface and more than 200 stations that makes tuning into your favorite music a more enjoyable and enriching experience, says the company.
“At Samsung we’re about introducing The Next Big Thing and together with ADD52 we’re giving emerging artists the platform to launch their careers,” said Todd Pendleton, chief marketing officer for Samsung Telecommunications America.
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.
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 YouTube channel.
