NEW YORK, Dec. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SiriusXM today
announced a new creative partnership with U2 to launch U2X
RADIO, which will include a dedicated SiriusXM channel and
exclusive content available only to SiriusXM subscribers and
Pandora listeners.
The announcement was made by U2, live from The Joshua Tree Tour
stage at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, Japan, with a cut-in from frontman Bono
to Howard Stern on his SiriusXM
channel "Howard 100," which saw the tour's massive 200x40 ft screen
light up with a video tribute to radio ahead of a live performance
of the band's hit 'Elevation'. A simultaneous stream by U2
on Facebook Live allowed fans around the world to hear the
news of U2X RADIO as it happened.
U2 has sold more than 170 million records worldwide and has won
22 Grammy awards, more than any other band or group. Their most
recent album 'Songs Of Experience' (2017) debuted at #1 on the
Billboard 200, setting the recently declared "Artist Of The Decade"
(Pollstar Magazine) apart as the only band in history to have
topped the chart in four successive decades, including eight albums
that reached number one in the U.S.
U2X RADIO will launch in 2020 with the band themselves
taking to the airwaves and will feature music from U2's acclaimed
decades-long career; never before heard interviews and live concert
recordings; favorites and surprises from the archive; band curated
playlists sharing personal influences both new and old; plus
content celebrating their Dublin
roots and much, much more.
Bono said – "Generally when I open my mouth people prefer if I'm
singing, but on U2X RADIO, maybe they'll forgive me the odd
interruption…"
Adam Clayton said – "I'm not
entirely sure what this is but what it isn't is an opportunity to
hear some bass solos… U2 24/7. Welcome to the last 43 years of my
life."
Larry Mullen said – "It all
sounds exhausting to me but if people really want to listen to us
for 24 hours a day, this is the way to do it."
The Edge added – "So I get to sit around having a laugh with my
musician friends and playing our favorite music. As I always say, I
have the best job in the world!"
"U2 has unparalleled influence as musicians, social activists
and global cultural icons. The band's ability to evolve has enabled
it to create a large and diverse library of hit songs, as well as
four-plus decades' worth of renowned live performances. U2X
RADIO and the offering on Pandora will provide listeners new
access and insights into one of the world's most accomplished
bands. We could not be more excited to welcome Bono, The Edge, Adam
and Larry to the SiriusXM family," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content
Officer, SiriusXM.
U2 joins LeBron James'
UNINTERRUPTED, platinum recording artist Drake and comic book giant
Marvel Entertainment in coming to SiriusXM and Pandora for
exclusive content and access. They also join other iconic and
leading artists who are featured on their own dedicated SiriusXM
channels, such as Phish, Garth
Brooks, The Beatles, Bruce
Springsteen, Tom Petty, Pearl
Jam, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.
About U2
From the beginning, U2 were marked out by
their drive and ambition, forming as a band "… before they could
play". Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen
and Adam Clayton met at Mount Temple
School and formed U2 in 1978 before signing to Island Records.
Acknowledged as one of the best live acts in the world, U2 have
released 14 studio albums and have sales in excess of 157 million.
They have won numerous awards; including 22 Grammys, an Oscar
nomination and the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience.
In 2003 they won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, 'The
Hands That Built America', featured in Gangs of New York. 2014 saw U2 nominated for an Oscar
for 'Ordinary Love' from the feature film Mandela: Long Walk To
Freedom, as well as take home the Golden Globe Award for Best
Original Song.
U2's fourteenth studio album Songs Of Experience – the companion
release to 2014's Songs Of Innocence – was released in December 2017 and includes tracks 'Get Out Of
Your Own Way' and 'You're The Best Thing About Me'. The new album
debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, setting U2 apart as the only
band in history to have topped the chart in four successive
decades. In 2018, the band hit the road with the eXPERIENCE +
iNNOCENCE Tour, an arena production which saw U2 continue to push
the creative boundaries of technology and engineering.
And following 2017's acclaimed stadium run with The Joshua Tree
Tour – the record-breaking smash hit tour celebrating the band's
seminal 1987 album The Joshua Tree – 2019 sees The Joshua Tree Tour
visit New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, as well as bring "the biggest band in
the world" (The Guardian) to Singapore, Seoul, Manila
and Mumbai for the very first
time.
A new track titled 'Ahimsa' from U2 and legendary
composer A.R. Rahman was released ahead of the band's first
ever visit to India, topping the
iTunes charts in India and hitting
#1 in the iTunes Rock chart in the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, Spain, India,
Mexico, Holland, Australia, Argentina, Switzerland, Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Singapore, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Hong
Kong, Norway, Finland, Malaysia, New
Zealand and Ireland.
www.U2.com
About SiriusXM
Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI)
is the world's largest audio entertainment company, and the premier
programmer and platform for subscription- and advertising-supported
audio products. With the recent addition of Pandora, the largest
streaming music provider in the U.S., SiriusXM reaches more than
100 million people with its audio products. For more about the new
SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com.
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Source: SiriusXM
Media contacts:
For SiriusXM
Patrick Reilly
212-901-6646
patrick.reilly@siriusxm.com
For U2
For more information contact:
US:
Cara.Donatto@umusic.com or Christine.Wolff@umusic.com
International:
bridin@rmplondon.co.uk
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