Rumble Yard - Formerly Sony Music Originals - To Launch New Slate Of Programming At NewFronts 2017

NEW YORK, May 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rumble Yard – the original video content division of Sony Music Entertainment formerly known as Sony Music Originals – today announced that YouTube star Kurt Hugo Schneider, music star Grace VanderWaal and iconic TV personality Al Roker will headline its 2017 NewFronts presentation unveiling a new slate of upcoming programming.

Scheduled for Wednesday, May 10, from 6-8pm ET at Sony Music's headquarters in New York City, Rumble Yard's presentation will be part of a co-sponsored NewFronts event with Astronauts Wanted, a joint venture between Judy McGrath, former Chairperson/CEO of MTV Networks, and Sony Music.  Kurt Hugo Schneider and Al Roker will be making featured appearances at the presentation to discuss all-new upcoming music-themed projects with Rumble Yard, while Columbia Records recording artists The Chainsmokers will be featured in a special video message to attendees about a Rumble Yard collaboration they have coming soon. In addition, singer/songwriter Grace VanderWaal (America's Got Talent winner) will perform her viral hit "I Don't Know My Name," along with other original songs. Comedian/actress Nicole Byer (Girl Code, Loosely Exactly Nicole) will serve as the evening's host.

Commenting on his relationship with Rumble Yard, Roker stated, "The talent and brilliant creative content coming out of Rumble Yard and Sony Music was the reason I was excited to partner with them. At Al Roker Entertainment, we strive to create exceptional programming for all audiences and platforms - linear, OTT, digital, and live streaming - and Rumble Yard was a perfect fit for our latest creative endeavor."

"With music at the core of our programming, it's an exciting time to be a content developer and a marketer. Rumble Yard's unique collaborations with our strategic partners in music, entertainment and video have resulted in a variety of compelling original programs," said Lee Stimmel, head of original content at Sony Music Entertainment.  "Rumble Yard's original content continues to expand the interaction between artists and fans with broad appeal to viewers across multiple platforms. We're thrilled to share our vision of accessible music-based entertainment with music enthusiasts and the advertising community alike."

The projects being unveiled at Rumble Yard's NewFronts 2017 presentation will join its quickly expanding program lineup.

Among the shows already coming from Rumble Yard in 2017 is "TO THE BEAT," its first project with Kurt Hugo Schneider. Set to debut this summer, "TO THE BEAT" will bring together Kurt and various music stars to create new versions of their favorite hit songs. Episodes in development feature collaborations with T-Pain, Anderson .Paak, and Aloe Blacc among others. Kurt is the producer, arranger, video editor, musician and singer/songwriter behind a string of hugely popular music medley videos, original songs, and hit covers on YouTube.  He has become a viral media sensation for his creatively produced and edited reinterpretations of hits by Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, One Direction and more.

Also scheduled to debut in 2017 is "HYPE UP," a music-and-sports-themed original series developed in partnership with Hearst & Verizon's digital network RatedRed.com. Each episode of the series will feature unsuspecting amateur sports teams who are surprised with a live performance from a Sony Music artist before a big game.

Rumble Yard's current slate of shows in the market include "CRASHED," a new series from actor/comedian Joel McHale's Free Period Productions about surprise meetings between fans and their favorite stars; "CAR STAR," a lip-syncing and amateur performance show hosted by actress and popular social media personality Arielle Vandenberg; and "THANK YOU AND SORRY," the Streamy Award-nominated and Clio Award-winning original docu-series starring RCA recording artist Jack Antonoff.

"CRASHED" and "CAR STAR" were developed under a multi-year content development deal between Sony Music and Verizon for the go90 platform. The first season of "CRASHED," which debuted in February, features appearances from stars including Tinashe, Ashanti, Gabby Douglas and Joey Graceffa, while "CAR STAR" premiered in October and features appearances from artists including Pentatonix and Kat Dahlia.

The acclaimed "THANK YOU AND SORRY" was created in partnership with RCA Records and Above Average Productions, the premier online comedy destination. A second season of the show is currently in development as part of a larger comedy-themed digital video programming content development deal between Rumble Yard and Above Average.

About Sony Music Entertainment

Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including Arista Nashville, Beach Street Records, Black Butter Records, BPG Music, Bystorm Entertainment, Century Media, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Day 1, Descendant Records, Disruptor Records, Epic Records, Essential Records, Essential Worship, Fo Yo Soul Recordings, House of Iona Records, Insanity Records, Kemosabe Records, Latium Entertainment, Legacy Recordings, Masterworks, Masterworks Broadway, Ministry of Sound Recordings, Monument Records, OKeh, Polo Grounds Music, Portrait, RCA Inspiration, RCA Nashville, RCA Records, Relentless Records, Reunion Records, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Syco Music and Volcano. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.

SOURCE Sony Music Entertainment