MTV GIVES ADVANCE NOTICE
Advance Warning is the title of a $4.99 CD series focusing on new bands that’s being sold and streamed on MTV.com. It’s also, not coincidentally, the name of a show airing on both MTV and MTV2.
"It’s another way for us to expose music beyond video rotation," said MTV VP Music Programming Initiatives Amy "Popeye" Doyle, when we told her we were from Fortune magazine. "This is a way to expose new artists who may not be signed to major labels or have videos."
The first CD compilation, which came out earlier this year, featured Columbia’s The Raveonettes, Virgin’s The Exies, Jet Set’s Sahara Hotnights, MCA’s Kardinal Offishall, dance-hall label VP’s T.O.K., Octone’s Maroon 5 and Arizona-based indie band The Format. The special package, which was available only at MTV.com and in the MTV retail store on Times Square, came with a pair of duplicate CDs, the idea being that people would turn on their friends.
"The first burn is on us," says Doyle. "We thought it would make for great word of mouth." The CD was also available for streaming as part of MTV.com’s "The Leak."
The second edition features Astralwerks rapper K-os, Ruff Ryders/Virgin Asian-American free-styler Jin, Geffen's buzzin' young power poppers Rooney, American Recordings folk-rockers Paloalto, Arista/Star Trak pop-funk outfit Spymob, RCA blue-collar rockers Damone and Hershey, PA’s unsigned Darcie Miner Band, fronted by the singer/songwriter phenom, who’s just 19.
The new Advance Warning CD began streaming last week on MTV’s site. The on-air version, bowing on MTV this week (Thursday, 5/8, at 8 p.m. ET/PT), features a performance by Miner with the group's bassist Milhouse. According to Doyle, Miner, who is also co-hosting the show, is the first unsigned act ever to play live in prime time on the channel. The program will also air on MTV2 starting May 18 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), with additional showings on 5/19 (12:30 p.m.), 5/22 (8:30 a.m.) and 5/24 (8 a.m.).
MTV plans to release a new Advance Warning CD every other month and is currently seeking a retail partner.
