iHeartMedia

iHeartMedia Spotlights New Music from Evanescence, Doechii & Lady Gaga, Teddy Swims, The Strokes, PJ Morton, Peter Frampton ft. Tom Morello

iHeartMedia — Fri, 04/10/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK – April 10, 2026 – iHeartMedia highlighted new music and artists alike this week with special programming, including new World Premiere debuts, New Music Friday Features and more.

On April 9 and 10, Evanescence’s “Who Will You Follow” had a World Premiere debut across all iHeartRadio Rock and optional Alternative stations. Also on those days, iHeartRadio CHR and Hot AC stations had the option to feature two new releases across their New Music Friday slots: Doechii & Lady Gaga’s collaboration “Runway” for “The Devil Wears Prada 2” soundtrack and Teddy Swims’ new single “Mr. Know It All.”

Earlier in the week, iHeartRadio stations aired several World Premiere debuts across various genres: PJ Morton’s “Mercy” made its debut across iHeartRadio Gospel stations on April 9; Peter Frampton ft. Tom Morello’s “Lions At The Gate” made its debut across iHeartRadio Classic Rock stations on April 9; and iHeartRadio Alternative stations aired the World Premiere debut of The Strokes’ new single “Going Shopping” on April 7 and 8.

For the latest news, music fans can download the iHeartRadio app; follow iHeartRadio on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, Facebook and YouTube; and visit iHeartRadio.com.

Exactly Right Media Welcomes Popular True Crime Podcasts “Disgraceland” And “Hollywoodland” To Its Programming Slate

iHeartMedia — Thu, 04/09/2026 - 08:00

Through Exactly Right Media’s exclusive distribution and co-production partnership with iHeart, host Jake Brennan’s popular series will also join iHeartPodcasts’ network of shows

LOS ANGELES – April 9, 2026 – Exactly Right Media (ERM), the podcast network behind “My Favorite Murder,” and iHeartPodcasts welcome award-winning true crime podcaster Jake Brennan and his hit podcasts “Disgraceland” and its celebrity spin-off “Hollywoodland” to their joint slate of shows. “Disgraceland” and “Hollywoodland” will continue to be produced by Double Elvis and executive produced by ERM and iHeartPodcasts.

Since its launch in 2018, “Disgraceland” has become one of the most successful music podcasts in the world revealing the deeply human, highly dramatic, true crime–fueled chaos behind legendary musicians. Known for its award-winning cinematic sound design and immersive storytelling, this weekly series explores the dark side of legendary artists like Amy Winehouse, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Grateful Dead, Blondie and more. The show dives into music history like it’s never been heard before—edge-of-the-seat stories exploding with drama and the kind of information that will make listeners dangerous at dinner parties.

“‘My Favorite Murder’ was one of the podcasts that inspired me to create ‘Disgraceland’ and the folks at iHeart were some of the first to believe in the show,” said Brennan. “After I launched ‘Disgraceland,’ Karen, Georgia and I became friends, and there always seemed to be this unspoken shared willingness to work with each other at some point. That point in time is now, and I couldn’t be happier. What they’ve built with the Exactly Right Network is truly inspiring, and there seems to be enormous cross-over potential between fans of ‘My Favorite Murder’ and ‘Disgraceland.’ Like Karen and Georgia, Murderinos have great taste in music, so this partnership makes perfect sense.”

“We are thrilled to welcome our old friend Jake Brennan to the Exactly Right network,” says CEO Karen Kilgariff. “We’ve always loved the incredible shows he makes and so does our audience, so it’s a match made in podcasting heaven.”

As part of the deal, “Hollywoodland,” the first true spin-off of “Disgraceland,” will also join the Exactly Right Media slate of shows. Hosted and produced by Brennan, the series meets at the corner of Hollywood and true crime and explores the lives of some of the most celebrated actors and actresses through the true crimes that have most impacted them. Show topics include the mysterious death of Brittany Murphy; David Lynch and the real-life brutal murder that inspired Twin Peaks; Steve McQueen’s brush with Charles Manson and many more.

“Jake Brennan is one of the most compelling storytellers in podcasting, and ‘Disgraceland’ and ‘Hollywoodland’ are true standouts in the industry,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “These shows draw listeners in with unforgettable narratives that keep them coming back week after week. We’re excited to deepen our partnership with Exactly Right Media and to help grow these incredible series across iHeartPodcasts.”

New episodes of “Disgraceland” drop every Tuesday along with additional listener-driven bonus episodes on Thursdays and curated “Rewind” releases from the show’s extensive archive each Sunday. Scripted episodes of “Hollywoodland” post on Mondays, with bonus episodes on Wednesdays and Fridays. All Exactly Right Media shows are distributed by iHeartPodcasts and are available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.

ABOUT JAKE BRENNAN

Jake Brennan is the creator and host of DISGRACELAND––the most downloaded music podcast in the world––and author of the book DISGRACELAND: Musicians Getting Away With Murder And Behaving Very Badly, published in 2019 by Grand Central/Hachette. DISGRACELAND has won multiple awards, including an Ambie for Best Original Score and Music Supervision, a Webby and iHeartPodcast Award for Best Music Podcast, and Brennan was named one of the Hollywood Reporter's "40 Most Powerful People In Podcasting." Jake also hosts Disgraceland’s spinoff series, Hollywoodland, which explores true crime and scandals involving Hollywood’s most legendary stars.

ABOUT DOUBLE ELVIS

Double Elvis explores life through the lens of music and the stories behind the music that captivate us. Double Elvis embraces that spirit, rooted in podcasting, and created an audio destination for music fans to find themselves, co-founded by Jake Brennan, creator & host of the Disgraceland podcast.

ABOUT EXACTLY RIGHT MEDIA

The Exactly Right podcast network provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. Created by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, hosts of the hit podcast My Favorite Murder, the Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics and voices, serving the highly engaged listenership of My Favorite Murder and beyond.

iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Launch New Comedy Podcast “Soccer Moms”

iHeartMedia — Tue, 04/07/2026 - 08:00

This fully improvised comedy podcast, hosted by Katie Rich and Holly Laurent, features guest comedians including Jason Mantzoukas, Bobby Moynihan and Lisa Lampanelli

The all star cast rotates through each hilarious episode, tailgating on the sidelines of a fictional youth soccer league

WHAT: “Soccer Moms,” a fully improvised comedy podcast celebrating the friendships that arise around two moms tailgating their kids’ soccer games, debuts today from iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players podcast network (BMP).

Set on the sidelines of a suburban youth soccer league, this fictional series is hosted by seasoned improv comedians Katie Rich and Holly Laurent, AKA Leanne and Janet – two best friends who unpack life and friendship from the back of a crumb-filled Honda Odyssey. Each episode features guest comedians jumping in as characters, creating a rotating cast of unlikely sideline companions. Blending sharp improv with character-driven storytelling, “Soccer Moms” captures the humor and heart of suburban life, grounded in the enduring bond between two best friends and their ever-expanding community.

The premiere episode, “Zero vs. Zero,” features guest appearances from Jason Mantzoukas (Big Mouth, The Good Place), Lisa Lampanelli (2 Broke Girls, The Aristocrats) and Brendan Jennings (A.P. Bio, Thunder Force). Leanne and Janet launch their improvised podcast while tailgating their kids’ scoreless soccer game, pulling in the team’s new coach, Todd Greco (Mantzoukas), before Leanne’s blunt, oversharing mom Mickey (Lampanelli) crashes the scene, culminating in a chaotic and unexpectedly heartfelt moment with a message from Leanne’s husband Don (Jennings).

WHO: Seasoned improv comedians and Second City Chicago alumni Katie Rich and Holly Laurent. Full bios below.

WHEN: Debuting today, April 7, 2026 with new episodes available on Tuesdays.

WHERE: “Soccer Moms” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. See the full lineup of Big Money Player podcasts HERE.

EMBED PLAYER: <iframe allow="autoplay" width="100%" height="300" src="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-soccer-moms-328577271/?embed=true" frameborder="0"></iframe>

ASSETS: Hi-Res Show Art HERE

About Katie Rich

Katie Rich is an Emmy-nominated and Peabody award-winning writer, actor and producer who attended Northwestern University before joining Chicago’s Second City. There, she wrote and starred in three Mainstage reviews, including the critically acclaimed “South Side of Heaven.” After Second City, Katie joined the writing staff of Saturday Night Live, where she worked for seven seasons. She left SNL in 2020 to pursue narrative comedy, and so far has co-created, starred in and executive produced a show for Netflix (Chicago Party Aunt, Season Two coming soon!), developed a pilot with Fox based on her life growing up as the only college-bound member of a blue collar, Midwestern family, and served a co-ep on the Warner Brothers/DC Studios show Kite Man: Hell Yeah! You can see her in various commercials, on Netflix’s It’s Bruno!, or hear her on a ton of animated shows like Our Cartoon President as well as audio shows like HBO MAX's The Batman Audio Adventures and The Flash: Midnight Circus. She has written for and consulted on many award shows such as The Emmys, The Academy Awards, The Golden Globes, The ESPYs, and NFL Honors as well as The White House Correspondents Dinner and various Comedy Central Roasts. Katie is currently the co-showrunner of the hit animated show Harley Quinn and just inked a deal with WB/MAX to develop a multi-generational animated half-hour comedy.

About Holly Laurent

Holly Laurent is the creator and host of the hit comedy podcast MEGA, and co-host and producer of It's a Wonderful Lie (audiochuck). Her writing has been featured in Defenestration Magazine, Mayday Magazine, and her essay, Villain, was Nominated for a 2021 Pushcart Prize. She is an alumnus of the Second City main stage in Chicago where she wrote and performed three critically acclaimed revues. She toured with the Second City national touring company and was a featured performer at the TBS Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. Holly holds an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from Columbia College. Her film and television credits include A.P. Bio (NBC), All Rise (CBS All Access), Tacoma FD (truTV), Drunk History (Comedy Central), Food: The Source of Life (Adult Swim), Key & Peele (Comedy Central), Barely Famous (VH1), Funny or Die: Exclusives, The Nosebleeds (UFC), The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS) and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Max).

iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s Black Effect Podcast Network Announces The 2025 “Pitch Your Podcast” Winner “The Black Mother Wound Podcast”

iHeartMedia — Tue, 04/07/2026 - 08:00

Listen to “The Black Mother Wound Podcast” HERE

The “Pitch Your Podcast” booth returns to the 2026 Black Effect Podcast Festival Presented by State Farm® held on April 25 in Atlanta, GA

NEW YORK – April 7, 2026 – iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s Black Effect today welcomed “The Black Mother Wound Podcast” to its network—the winner selected from the “Pitch Your Podcast” booth at the 2025 Black Effect Podcast Festival last year.

The show, hosted by Jennifer Arnise, is a weekly space for Black women navigating the complicated, often painful relationships they have with their mothers – and the lasting impact those relationships have on their lives. “The Black Mother Wound Podcast” centers honest, unfiltered conversations about the generational patterns many were never allowed to name. Along with Arnise and her guest, the show will explore how the mother wound shows up in boundaries, relationships, bodies, ambition and sense of self.

“Winning the ‘Pitch your Podcast’ contest was so validating and made me feel like my voice and the hidden stories of Black women really matter,” said host Arnise. “This podcast is a love letter to Black girls who never felt seen or heard by their mothers and feels like getting the best advice from your tough but loving big sister and your drunk bestie. It’s what I wish I would’ve had when I started my healing journey.”

“This show not only represents an underserved topic that impacts many women, but it's also a vehicle to healing and we’re proud to bring ‘The Black Mother Wound Podcast’ to our listeners,” said Dollie S. Bishop, President of Production and Creative Development for the Black Effect Podcast Network. “We were impressed with Jennifer’s pitch submitted at the Black Effect Festival’s ‘Pitch Your Podcast’ and are glad to have her meaningful and impactful show join our network.”

The launch comes ahead of the fourth annual Black Effect Podcast Festival Presented by State Farm where the “Pitch Your Podcast” booth will once again be available for festival attendees. The activation allows creators to pitch their shows to members of the Black Effect team for the chance to join the network.

The 2026 Black Effect Podcast Festival Presented by State Farm will take place April 25 from noon to 8 p.m. ET at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, GA, and will be hosted by founder Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy of The Breakfast Club with Loren LoRosa, host of “The Latest with Loren LoRosa Podcast.” Tickets are on sale now. For more information on ticket pricing and this year’s festival lineup, visit blackeffect.com/podcastfestival.

The Black Effect Podcast Network is the leading platform for Black creators to raise their voices and be heard in the podcast space. It brings together the most influential and trusted voices in black culture for stimulating conversations around social justice, pop culture, sports, mental health, news, comedy and more. Launched in September 2020, the Black Effect Podcast Network has debuted a luminous roster of marquee talent and culture-shifting voices committed to enlightening, educating and entertaining audiences, curated by Charlamagne Tha God himself. The full list of network shows can be found here.

“The Black Mother Wound Podcast” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. New episodes available weekly on Tuesdays.

About Jennifer Arnise

Jennifer Arnise is a writer, speaker, and healing facilitator dedicated to helping Black women heal the painful relationship with their mother. She teaches women how to rebuild emotional safety, identity, self-worth, and autonomy. Her work blends psychology, spirituality, vulnerable storytelling, and lived experience to help women release shame, break survival patterns, and finally come home to themselves.

About The Black Effect Podcast Network

The Black Effect Podcast Network is a transformative network founded by renowned cultural architect, executive producer, bestselling author, and media mogul Charlamagne Tha God in a historic joint venture with the world’s number-one commercial podcast publisher, iHeartMedia. Charlamagne and iHeartMedia created the groundbreaking first-ever Black Effect Podcast Network, celebrating the essential Black culture-shapers on the planet—in education, entertainment, politics, pop culture, and sports. The Black Effect Podcast Network gives rise to emerging and established content creators and storytellers whose perspectives and creative visions have been marginalized and overlooked while serving an audience that has been underserved. The Black Effect Podcast Network helps its partners define their place in podcast culture through influence, ideas, and experiences that engage, inspire, inform, and empower. See the full catalog of shows, here.

New Season The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe

iHeartMedia — Mon, 04/06/2026 - 08:00

Co-produced by Novel and iHeartPodcasts, season five episodes release weekly from April 13, wherever you get your podcasts

Trailer Here

LONDON and NEW YORK – April 6, 2026 – When a group of women from all over the country realise they’ve all dated the same prolific romance scammer, they vow to work together to finally bring him to justice.

The Global No. 1 podcast, "The Girlfriends” co-produced by Novel and iHeartPodcasts, returns next week with a brand new season; “Trust Me Babe.” Trailer here.

Over 6 episodes, award winning journalist and host Anna Sinfield will meet a group of funny, feisty, determined women, who all had the misfortune of dating con-man Derek Alldred who - in 2018 -was sentenced to 24 years in prison, and was linked to 25 victims.

She’ll learn about a mysterious man who went to almost unimaginable lengths - fake names, fake uniforms, false identities, forged documents, impersonating friends and family - to deceive the women he was dating. And all the while, developing a pattern of fraud that saw some victims lose life savings, homes, livelihoods, and perhaps worst of all, their ability to trust.

And on top of that, he seemed to keep getting away with it. Bouncing from one state to another, Derek just kept slipping through the cracks. The women he left behind faced dismissiveness from law enforcement, and stigma from the public whenever they came forward with their experiences.

In the void that was created by that inaction, from those who could’ve helped sooner, this group of girlfriends instead found each other. Across years and state lines, they formed a shared Facebook group chat, built timelines, kept track, and took the matter of justice into their own hands.

This season features a rescue operation orchestrated by some hockey-loving nurses in Minnesota, a pair of DIY detective sisters in Hawaii, a final showdown in the parking valet of a hospital in Texas, and so much more.

The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe isn’t your classic scam story about a charismatic con-man. It’s a story about a group of powerful women who looked out for each other when no one else would, and the protective forces of gossip, gut instinct, and trusting your besties.

“The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe” launches everywhere you get your podcasts on April 13, with new episodes published weekly on Mondays.

“The Girlfriends” podcast franchise is distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

About Anna Sinfield

Anna Sinfield is the multi award-winning journalist and creator behind iHeartPodcasts’ global No.1 hit podcast, “The Girlfriends.”

For over a decade Sinfield has reported on stories of extraordinary women who have fought back against injustice - or simply, done very cool things. She has met and interviewed countless inspiring people, from women who’ve been wrongfully convicted and life-risking activists, to those who’ve escaped cults.

Her work combines a highly empathetic approach to interviewing, with razor sharp writing and a musician’s ear for emotional resonance. In 2025, Sinfield officially became “The Girlfriends” lead host and guiding star, introducing listeners around the world to new Girlfriends and their shocking and inspiring stories.

About Novel

Novel is a leading independent premium podcast company. Its stack of chart-topping, award-winning podcasts includes The Girlfriends, which reached the global number one spot, won the Ambie for Best True Crime Podcast in 2024.

The worldwide chart-topping hit true crime series Kill List was the winner of the Edward R Murrow Award for Journalism, the Best Podcast Award at the 2025 Broadcast Press Guild (BPG) Awards, as well as winner of the Signal Award for Best True Crime and Best Sound Design, and Podcast of the Year at the British Podcast Awards and True Crime Awards 2025.

Further chart-topping, critically acclaimed and award-winning podcasts include Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera, Stolen Hearts, Come by Chance, Superhero Complex and Filthy Ritual.

iHeartMedia World Premieres New Singles from OneRepublic, Dan + Shay, Luke Bryan, Miley Cyrus and Brantley Gilbert

iHeartMedia — Fri, 04/03/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK – April 3, 2026 – iHeartMedia recently highlighted new music and artists alike with special programming, including World Premiere debuts and more.

On Friday, OneRepublic's "Need Your Love" had a World Premiere debut across all iHeartRadio CHR and Hot AC stations and Dan + Shay's "Say So" had a World Premiere debut across all iHeartCountry stations.

Last week, Luke Bryan's "Country And She Knows It" had a World Premiere debut on March 27 across all iHeartCountry stations, Miley Cyrus' "Younger You" had a World Premiere debut on March 26 across all iHeartRadio CHR and Hot AC stations and Brantley Gilbert's "Good Damn" had a World Premiere debut on March 26 across all iHeartCountry stations.

For the latest news, music fans can download the iHeartRadio app; follow iHeartRadio on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, Facebook and YouTube; and visit iHeartRadio.com.

iHeartMedia Announces Ann Marie Licata as CEO of the Multiplatform Group

iHeartMedia — Thu, 04/02/2026 - 08:00

New York, NY – iHeartMedia, the number one audio company in America, today announced Ann Marie Licata as CEO of the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group, the largest of the company’s three operating segments. The company’s other two operating segments will continue to be led by Conal Byrne, CEO of the Digital Audio Group, and Mark Gray, CEO of the Audio and Media Services Group.

The Multiplatform Group includes the iHeartMedia Markets Group, which operates the company’s 860+ local broadcast radio stations; the iconic iHeart live events and sponsorships; the radio networks businesses, including Premiere and TTWN; the Enterprise Business Development Group; and data targeting and attribution products for broadcast radio. Licata was previously iHeart’s President, Markets Group & Sales Operations.

The company also announced that Bernie Weiss will be promoted to President of the Markets Group. Weiss will oversee the operations of the company’s 160 markets. Weiss was previously Chief Operating Officer of the iHeartMedia Markets Group.

“We couldn’t be more pleased that Ann Marie will be leading the growth and innovation efforts for our company’s largest segment,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, Inc. “In addition to helping businesses and brands grow effectively and efficiently, the Multiplatform Group has been an important engine to develop our own important new businesses -- including podcasting and the iHeartRadio digital service -- as well as our iconic live music events and awards shows. We look forward to the additional growth that will come as we move broadcast radio into the digital buying world through our data services and programmatic platforms.”

“We have a diversified business at iHeart, with our Multiplatform Group, the Digital Audio Group and the Audio and Media Services Group, and we’re very pleased that Ann Marie has taken on the responsibility for the Multiplatform Group at such an important time for the company,” said Rich Bressler, President and COO of iHeartMedia, Inc.

In this new organization, Julie Donohue, President of the Enterprise Development Group and Julie Talbott, President of Premiere Networks, will now report directly to Licata.

Veteran Tech Journalist And Mostly Human Ceo Laurie Segall Sits Down Exclusively With Openai Ceo Sam Altman For His First Interview Since Shutting Down Sora And The Department Of War Deal

iHeartMedia — Thu, 04/02/2026 - 08:00

From Power to Parenthood, Tech Addiction and AI Acceleration, Segall Interviews Altman About AI’s Human Toll and The Weight Of His and OpenAI’s Influence

Listen to the Full Conversation on iHeartPodcasts’ “Mostly Human With Laurie Segall” HERE and Watch It on Mostly Human Media YouTube Channel HERE

Conversation Highlights Include:

On OpenAI’s Deal with the Department of War, Altman tells Segall: “Are AI companies or are governments more powerful? And I think it's very important that the governments are more powerful… We have to work with government, but the intensity of the current mood of mistrust, I was miscalibrated on.”
On Considering Integrating Sora Into ChatGPT Before Shuttering It: “It’s all about compute.” Adding, “Before the compute crunch came, we were talking about putting it into the ChatGPT app… but one thing we realized is that would have put a series of incentives on us and would've led to a bunch of decisions to win that we just didn't want to make.”
On Parenting, Altman says: “I don't know when I would let [my son] talk to AI, but I’d rather be on the late end of what's reasonable… He'll grow up in a world where computers are smarter than him and do anything he wants, but… I wanted him to play in the dirt for now.”
On AI Unicorns, Altman believes there’s already a one-person, billion dollar company powered fully by AI agents: “It is a legitimate single person… a massively successful company with one person.”

NEW YORK – April 2, 2026 – Award-winning tech journalist and Mostly Human CEO Laurie Segall today released a sit down conversation with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at his home for a wide-ranging, revealing interview unlike any he’s ever given before. For the first time, Altman discussed OpenAI’s shutdown of Sora and the Department of War deal since making headlines on both of those issues recently. During the conversation, Segall also asked Altman about the human stakes of the AI revolution and more. Segall, who has interviewed Altman many times over the past 15 years, offers a rare window into both the man himself and the human impact of the technology he’s shaping.

The interview was released today on the new iHeartPodcast, “Mostly Human with Laurie Segall,” a series that explores tech through the human lens. Audio of the full interview is available now on the iHeartRadio app and anywhere you get your podcasts. Video available on the Mostly Human Media YouTube channel.

In the interview, Altman revealed he thinks the first one-person, billion-dollar AI company already exists; warned of short-term job disruption requiring economic redesign; and shared his belief that "abundance" is the one word defining his life's work. He also describes a near-term future where automated AI researchers could compress a decade of scientific discovery into a single year, fundamentally reshaping innovation. But that idealism sits against a complex backdrop with fundamental human questions at stake. Perhaps most noteworthy, Altman and Segall debate in depth the complexities and opportunities of raising a child in a world that will be fundamentally transformed by the tech Altman has ushered in.

“Mostly Human with Laurie Segall” debuted last week with first guest Dr. Becky Kennedy, where the two moms confronted raising kids in an AI world. One intention of the podcast is to let episodes speak to each other. Segall played a clip from Dr. Becky for Sam Altman about AI’s impact on parenting, prompting Altman to discuss conversations he’s having with his own son about AI.

Mostly Human Media, Laurie Segall's creator-led media company and podcast of the same name, aims to bridge Silicon Valley power with real-world human impact, tackling AI's effect on parenting, jobs, relationships and our most fundamental human traits through immersive conversations and investigations.

The “Mostly Human with Laurie Segall” series is co-produced and distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

Click here to view/download more photos. Photo credit: Mostly Human with Laurie Segall.

Download the podcast cover art HERE. Credit: iHeartPodcasts

About Laurie Segall and Mostly Human Media:

Mostly Human Media is Laurie Segall’s creator-led media and entertainment network focused on the deeply human implications of technology. Through original reporting, intimate interviews, and investigations into the real-world impact of AI, the company aims to bridge the gap between Silicon Valley and the people living with the consequences of its innovations.

iHeartMedia Names Jamie Cutburth Executive Vice President of Marketing

iHeartMedia — Tue, 03/31/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK – March 31, 2026 – iHeartMedia, the #1 audio company in America, announced today that media veteran Jamie Cutburth has been named Executive Vice President of Marketing.

In his new role, Cutburth will help define and lead the company’s marketing strategy by bringing together positioning, go-to-market planning, sales enablement, tentpole storytelling and cross-platform packaging to drive advertiser demand. He will report to Lisa Coffey, Chief Business Officer for iHeartMedia.

“As we continue to expand iHeart’s unique multi-platform footprint, we’re thrilled to welcome Jamie and his decades of expertise in driving meaningful success for blue chip media companies,” said Lisa Coffey, Chief Business Officer for iHeartMedia. “Jamie swings big, experiences that inspire action, drive growth and leave lasting impressions on the audience. He will fit right in as our team continues to push innovative ideas at the leading edge of the industry.”

Cutburth joins iHeart after more than a decade at NBCUniversal, where he most recently served as EVP of Marketing & Brand Partnerships. In that role he led B2B marketing and advertiser strategy across NBC, Bravo, E!, Peacock, NBC News, Telemundo and a broad portfolio of live events and cultural franchises. He also led the team responsible for developing large-scale brand partnerships and go-to-market platforms around properties like Saturday Night Live, The Today Show, People’s Choice Awards, Bravo’s franchise ecosystem, and major live experiences including BravoCon and E!’s Live from the Red Carpet. Before NBCUniversal, Cutburth led partnerships at A+E Networks, HISTORY and A&E.

“My role sits at the intersection between brand, revenue, content and culture, and will ensure that iHeart shows up in the market with a clear story and a modern marketing engine,” said Jamie Cutburth. “I am excited to bring my years of building successful partnerships and experiences to this team and to a company so clearly focused on innovation and growth.”

Kaleidoscope Launches First Video-Native Podcast “Two Percent” In Partnership With iHeartPodcasts And New York Times Bestselling Author Michael Easter

iHeartMedia — Tue, 03/31/2026 - 08:00

Kaleidoscope expands Easter’s viral #1 wellness newsletter “Two Percent” into a fun, science-backed, and highly practical show, cutting through today’s overwhelming health advice

New episodes publish every Tuesday and Thursday

Watch the trailer HERE; Listen to the podcast HERE

Download show art HERE (Photo Credit: Kaleidoscope & iHeartPodcasts); Download host photo HERE (Photo Credit: Mike Blabac)

NEW YORK, NY – March 31, 2026 – Kaleidoscope, the New York-based media company redefining science and technology storytelling, today announced a historic new partnership with New York Times bestselling author and journalist Michael Easter to expand his viral wellness newsletter Two Percent into a twice-weekly video and audio podcast series, Two Percent with Michael Easter.

The series marks Kaleidoscope’s first video-native podcast launch as the company cements its evolution into a multi-format science and technology media brand and joins Kaleidoscope’s slate of acclaimed science and technology content, including TechStuff, No Such Thing, and Shell Game.

Episode 1 will air on Tuesday, April 7, with new episodes releasing every Tuesday and Thursday. Two Percent with Michael Easter is a Kaleidoscope production, distributed by iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher according to Podtrac.

Two Percent with Michael Easter builds on the momentum of Easter’s massively successful Two Percent Subtack newsletter, which reaches more than 150,000 subscribers and is the #1 wellness newsletter on social media. The podcast advances the form into a dynamic, accessible format that blends storytelling, research, humor, and actionable challenges designed for real life.

At a time when wellness culture often promotes complicated routines and endless optimization, Two Percent with Michael Easter takes a different approach. The show is built around a simple idea: small, deliberate actions, the “two percent” shifts most people avoid, can create outsized change in health, performance, and meaning. Each week, Easter examines the most pressing questions in modern health and performance. On Tuesdays, he sits down with leading thinkers, researchers, athletes, and cultural figures to unpack pivotal moments and hard-earned lessons. On Thursdays, he breaks down viral trends, new studies, and controversial health claims, translating research into clear, entertaining, and actionable takeaways listeners can apply immediately.

“Two Percent with Michael Easter marks a major step in Kaleidoscope’s strategic 2026 rollout of IP expansion, video-native formats, and multi-platform content,” said Oz Woloshyn, Co-founder of Kaleidoscope. “As the trusted home of science and technology storytelling, Kaleidoscope continues to partner with the industry’s most respected voices like Michael Easter, Walter Isaacson, Alice Hines, Zoë Lescaze, and Evan Ratliff to develop must-engage video and audio series. We look forward to partnering with Michael to delve deeper into his Two Percent newsletter, bringing even greater depth and insight to audiences while answering the most pressing questions in modern health today.”

Michael Easter is the New York Times bestselling author of The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain, and his reporting has appeared in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Esquire, Outside, ESPN’s 538, Vice, and other major publications. He has been a guest on leading podcasts and television shows, including The Joe Rogan Experience, NPR’s Here & Now, The Rich Roll Podcast, The Huberman Lab Podcast, CBS Saturday Morning, and Good Morning America. Across platforms, Easter reaches more than 300,000 followers on social media and a wide-ranging audience of driven professionals, endurance athletes, military members, entrepreneurs, and everyday listeners seeking more meaning and better health.

“I’m thrilled to partner with Kaleidoscope. Their team brings strong journalistic judgement and incredible audio and video storytelling that will help me reach new audiences,” said Michael Easter, Host of Two Percent. “Together we’ll deliver actionable insights backed by science, rooted in story, and optimized to work for real people in the real world. And we’ll have a lot of fun along the way.”

Two Percent with Michael Easter is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and joins Kaleidoscope’s growing slate of premium science and technology storytelling. New episodes will be available every Tuesday and Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, and everywhere podcasts are heard. Video content is available for download on Easter’s YouTube channel.

For more information on Kaleidoscope, please visit www.k-scope.com.

Editor’s Note

Include the Two Percent with Michael Easter podcast player directly into your article or website using the below embed code:

About Michael Easter

Michael Easter is the New York Times bestselling author of The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain, and writes the #1 Health and Wellness Substack newsletter, Two Percent with Michael Easter. He travels the world to uncover practical, science-backed ideas that help us live healthier, happier, and more resilient lives. His work has been published in more than 100 countries. His ideas have been featured in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal and been adopted by professional sports teams, NASA, Tier-1 military units, Fortune 500 companies, and leading universities. Visit eastermichael.com or TWOPCT.com for more information.

About Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope is a genre-defining media company, using human storytelling to transport audiences to the frontiers of discovery. Founded in 2022 by Oz Woloshyn and Mangesh Hattikudur, Kaleidoscope's network of science and technology programming works to make the most important ideas of our time accessible, engaging, and emotionally resonant — for everyone who wants a stake in this new future. Today, the network reaches millions and is home to hit shows including On Musk: with Walter Isaacson and The Last Soviet: with Lance Bass. Visit www.k-scope.com for more information.

iHeartMedia Celebrated the Best in Music at the 13th Annual iHeartRadio Music Awards Live on FOX, Hosted by Ludacris

iHeartMedia — Fri, 03/27/2026 - 08:00

The awards show featured performances by Alex Warren, John Mellencamp, Kehlani, Lainey Wilson, Ludacris, RAYE, and performing for the first time together, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue

Taylor Swift took home the most awards with seven total wins at this year’s award show

NEW YORK - March 26, 2026 - The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards gathered some of the most iconic artists on Thursday, March 26 to celebrate the best in music. Hosted by Ludacris, the event took place at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, aired LIVE on FOX and also broadcasted live on iHeartRadio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app. The event is available to stream next day on Hulu. The awards show featured performances by Alex Warren, John Mellencamp, Kehlani, Lainey Wilson, Ludacris, RAYE, and performing for the first time together, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue.

iHeartRadio Music Awards featured special appearances by guests including Taylor Swift, the show’s most-nominated artist, who took home seven awards, along with Alysa Liu, NE-YO, Nicole Scherzinger, Nikki Glaser, Shaboozey, sombr, Teddi Mellencamp, Vin Diesel and Weezer.

John Mellencamp was honored with the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award, Ludacris received the 2026 iHeartRadio Landmark Award, Miley Cyrus was honored with the 2026 iHeartRadio Innovator Award and Alex Warren received the 2026 iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award.

Ahead of the iHeartRadio Music Awards at this year’s red carpet Alex Warren, Chase Matthew, JENEVIEVE, Sailor, sombr and Return to Dust all were presented with iHeartRadio On The Verge Awards.

Additional highlights included:

Ludacris welcomed the audience and viewers to the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Alex Warren transformed the stage into a New York subway scene to perform his hits “Ordinary” and “Fever Dream” before accepting the 2026 iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year award.
Jason Aldean introduced Lainey Wilson who captivated the crowd with her performance of “Wildflowers and Wild Horses,” “Hang Tight Honey” and “Heart Like A Truck.” After her performance, Lainey Wilson presented Miley Cyrus with the 2026 iHeartRadio Innovator Award, calling her one of her biggest inspirations.
Performing together for the first time TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue had the crowd singing along to a melody of “Hold On,” “Waterfalls,” “Shoop,” “What A Man,” “Scrubs,” “Free Your Mind,” “Push It” and “What About Your Friends,” giving fans a taste of their upcoming tour.
Shaboozey presented Best New Artist (Country) to Ella Langley, who accepted the award from one of her biggest fans on stage.
Teddi Mellencamp and her Dad, John Mellencamp shared a heartfelt moment on stage as she presented him with the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award. Teddi grew emotional as she talked about how her father has supported her through the years, her cancer battle and how his lyrics always help her. John immediately gave the award back to his daughter, dedicating it to her and reflecting on his 50-year career, wishing new artists enjoy their career just as much as he did.
After receiving his award, John Mellencamp had the crowd on their feet for a special performance of “Jack and Diane” and “Pink Houses.”
RAYE presented Taylor Swift with Pop Album of the Year, who thanked her fans and her fiancé Travis Kelce for making every day happy.
Kehlani performed her hit “Folded” before accepting R&B Song of the Year from NE-YO. She thanked her fans for always being with her throughout the ups and downs of her career, and said her new record feels like a win for them all.
Weezer’s Brian Bell and Rivers Cuomo presented sombr with iHeartRadio Music Awards Alternative Album of the Year. sombr also took home the iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New Artist (Alternative) and was presented with two iHeartRadio On The Verge Awards while on the red carpet.
Vin Diesel presented host Ludacris with the 2026 iHeartRadio Landmark Award.
Donnie Wahlberg and Jenny McCarthy introduced RAYE, who kept the energy up with her hit “Where Is My Husband!”
Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu presented Taylor Swift with her seventh award of the night, the Artist of the Year Award and recapped her other wins, which were Pop Album of the Year, Album of the Year, Pop Song of the Year, Best Lyrics, Best Music Video and Favorite Tour Style.
Ludacris performed a melody of his fan favorites “Pull Over,” “Rollout,” “Money Maker,” “My Chick Bad,” “Stand Up” and “Move B****.”
Nikki Glaser presented Alex Warren with Song of the Year, for his hit “Ordinary.” In addition to the Song of the Year and the 2026 iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award, Alex also took home iHeartRadio Music Awards for Best New Artist (Pop) and Favorite Debut Album, and on the red carpet he was presented with the iHeartRadio On The Verge Award.

Category winners are:

Song of the Year:

“Ordinary” – Alex Warren

Artist of the Year:

Taylor Swift

Album of the Year:

“The Life of a Showgirl” - Taylor Swift

Duo/Group of the Year:

The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI

Best Collaboration:

“APT.” – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars

Pop Artist of the Year:

Sabrina Carpenter

Pop Song of the Year:

“The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift

Pop Album of the Year:

“The Life of a Showgirl”- Taylor Swift

Best New Artist (Pop):

Alex Warren

Alternative Artist of the Year:

twenty one pilots

Alternative Song of the Year:

“Ensenada” – Sublime

Alternative Album of the Year:

“I Barely Know Her” - sombr

Best New Artist (Alternative):

sombr

Rock Artist of the Year:

Shinedown

Rock Song of the Year:

“Heavy Is the Crown” – Linkin Park

Best New Artist (Rock):

Sleep Theory

Country Artist of the Year:

Morgan Wallen

Country Song of the Year:

“Good News” – Shaboozey

Country Album of the Year:

“I'm The Problem” - Morgan Wallen

Best New Artist (Country):

Ella Langley

Dance Artist of the Year:

David Guetta

Dance Song of the Year:

“No Broke Boys” – Disco Lines & Tinashe

Dance Album of the Year:

“MAYHEM” - Lady Gaga

K-pop Artist of the Year:

ROSÉ

K-pop Group of the Year:

Stray Kids

K-pop Song of the Year:

“Golden” – The Singing Voice of HUNTR/X: EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI

K-pop Album of the Year:

“Ruby” - Jennie

Best New Artist (K-pop):

Cortis

Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:

Kendrick Lamar

Hip-Hop Song of the Year:

“luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA

Hip-Hop Album of the Year:

“GNX”– Kendrick Lamar

Best New Artist (Hip-Hop):

MOLIY

R&B Artist of the Year:

Chris Brown

R&B Song of the Year:

“Folded” – Kehlani

R&B Album of the Year:

“PHOLKS”- Leon Thomas

Best New Artist (R&B):

Leon Thomas

World Artist of the Year:

MOLIY

Latin Pop/Urban Artist of the Year:

Bad Bunny

Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year:

“DtMF” – Bad Bunny

Latin Pop/Urban Album of the Year:

“Debí Tirar Más Fotos”- Bad Bunny

Best New Artist (Latin Pop/Urban):

Beéle

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year:

Grupo Frontera

Regional Mexican Song of the Year:

“Amor Bonito” – Luis Angel “El Flaco”

Regional Mexican Album of the Year:

“111XPANTIA” - Fuerza Regida

Best New Artist (Regional Mexican):

Los Dos De Tamaulipas

Producer of the Year:

Andrew Watt

Songwriter of the Year:

Amy Allen

Label of the Year:

Interscope Capitol

Tour of the Year:

The Weeknd

Best Lyrics: *Socially Voted Category

“The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift

Best Music Video: *Socially Voted Category

“The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift

Favorite Tour Photographer: *Socially Voted Category

Rahul Bhatt for KATSEYE

Favorite On Screen: *Socially Voted Category

Jimin and Jungkook, “Are You Sure?!”

Favorite Soundtrack: *Socially Voted Category

“KPop Demon Hunters”

Favorite Tour Style: *Socially Voted Category

Taylor Swift, “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour”

(New for 2026) Favorite TikTok Dance: *Socially Voted Category

“MONA LISA” – j-hope

Favorite Tour Tradition: *Socially Voted Category

Coldplay, Crowd cam

(New for 2026) Favorite K-pop Collab: *Socially Voted Category

“Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)” – j-hope, Miguel

Favorite Broadway Debut: *Socially Voted Category

Tom Felton, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

(New for 2026) Favorite Debut Album: *Socially Voted Category

Alex Warren, “You'll Be Alright, Kid”

Executive producers for the iHeartRadio Music Awards are Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannaé Rouzan-Clay for Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE); John Sykes, Tom Poleman and Bart Peters for iHeartMedia; and FOX Entertainment Studios.

Proud partners of this year’s event on iHeart’s platforms include H&R Block, She Rises Studios, and Trashie.

Photos:

Password: iHRMA03262026!

Photo credit in caption: (ie: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio)

B-roll:

Red Carpet: HERE
Show + Winners Walk: HERE

100-Day Countdown to the Fourth of July: America250 Reveals First Five Host Cities for July 3-4 Block Parties and Launches National Give-Back Effort

iHeartMedia — Thu, 03/26/2026 - 08:00

America250 Names iHeartMedia an Official Audio Partner, Creating a Unified National Listening Experience for the Fourth of July

WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 26, 2026 – America250, the national nonpartisan organization charged by Congress with leading the celebration and commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, today launched the official 100-day countdown to the Fourth of July with a wave of national announcements previewing how Americans can celebrate the week of July 4.

America250 unveiled the first five host cities for July 3-4 “America’s Block Party” events, alongside a historic call to action to give back for the 4th and new ways to participate.

Attend America’s Block Party: July 3-4 Lineup

“America250 is creating the largest synchronized Fourth of July celebration in U.S. history through America’s Block Party,” said Rosie Rios, Chair of America250. “The Fourth of July has long been synonymous with neighborhood block parties – we’re turning up the volume on this beloved tradition by scaling it into a nationwide celebration anchored in live music.”

All 350 million Americans can take part in the shared experience by attending America’s Block Party events or tuning into the livestream on the iHeartRadio app from their own neighborhood gatherings.

New York – Historic July 3 Times Square Ball Drop: For the first time in its 120-year history, the Times Square Ball will drop outside of New Year’s Eve. On July 3 at 11:59 p.m. ET, the Ball will illuminate in a custom America250 design before descending at midnight into July 4. The Ball’s crystals for 2026 were custom-made for America’s 250th anniversary, featuring three distinct designs – Infinite Life (1.5-inch), Infinite Liberty (3-inch), and Infinite Happiness (4-inch). Each design features interwoven curves and circular motifs to reflect the shared ideals at the heart of America’s story.
Los Angeles – July 4 Concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: On July 4, America250 will host a family-friendly concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, bringing together major musical artists and patriotic tributes for an in-person audience up to 50,000 and a nationwide livestream audience. Headlining talent will be announced in the coming weeks.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – America’s Block Party at Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance: Set along Lake Michigan, Summerfest will serve as an official America250 Block Party location, welcoming fans from across the country for its July 4 celebration presented by Harley-Davidson. The event will feature a full day of live music, including performances by Jelly Roll, Sam Barber, The Temper Trap, BoDeans, Soul Asylum, Joywave, Jonah Kagen, and more.
Fort Campbell, Kentucky – Fort Campbell Festival: The home of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), will host a July 4 festival for military families and the public, featuring The Legend of Charlie Daniels Tribute Concert with special guests Aaron Tippin, Eric Lee Beddingfield, and the 101st Airborne Division Band. Expected to draw more than 100,000 attendees, the event is powered by Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, and Ram, and produced by Fort Campbell MWR, 8 Track Entertainment, and MOTR Music.
Charleston, SC – SC250 Charleston will host an Independence Day Celebration in Waterfront Park: Charleston played a crucial role in the American Revolution and in advancing the nation's founding ideals. The Independence Day celebration on the waterfront will feature a peninsula-wide fireworks display, the largest in the Southeast.

More details, ticket information, and additional city announcements will be available at America250.org.

Host a Block Party and Tune in to iHeartMedia

Americans can also register to host official neighborhood events at America250.org to receive a digital toolkit with signage, celebration ideas and games. Because no block party is complete without music, America250 also announced iHeartMedia as an official audio partner of the Semiquincentennial.

America250 and iHeart will bring the sounds of the celebration to every American. As the largest audio company in the United States, iHeartMedia is listened to by more than 250 million Americans every month across its broadcast radio network, streaming and digital platforms.

“iHeartMedia reaches 90 percent of Americans every month, and we are honored to partner with America250 to use the unique scale and reach of our broadcast radio and digital platforms to connect communities across America, helping to bring this once-in-a-generation celebration to life in a way that reflects the spirit of the moment,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia.

Through this partnership, Americans will tune into a unified national audio experience on July 3-4, connecting celebrations from coast to coast through one shared soundtrack.

“Celebration” added to America’s Soundtrack

As part of 4th of July celebrations, America250 is releasing a new song in America’s Soundtrack. Led by executive producer Emilio Estefan, the initiative brings together iconic artists across genres and generations to create a defining musical collection for the Semiquincentennial.

To mark the 100-day countdown, Estefan announced that Kool & The Gang will release a new version of their iconic hit “Celebration,” a song widely associated with moments of joy and unity.

“You don’t have a party without music, and the party always gets going with a song everyone knows. ‘Celebration’ is one of those songs,” said Estefan. “The second it plays, you feel it. This new version is about igniting that feeling across the country and celebrating the 250th together.”

"It is a pleasure and an honor to be working with my brother Emilio Estefan on a new version of our No. 1 song ‘Celebration’ for America's Soundtrack Album commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the United States,” said Robert Kool Bell, leader and only remaining founding member of Kool & The Gang. “Get ready to Celebrate Good Times Come On!"

Additional America’s Soundtrack songs will continue to roll out throughout 2026, building toward a defining musical moment for the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Give Back: The Start of a New Fourth of July Tradition

As part of the Semiquincentennial, America250 is expanding its America Gives initiative to launch Giving 4th, a national effort to make July 4 not only a day of celebration, but a defining moment of giving back.

Building on the strong momentum of America Gives, which has already generated millions of volunteer hours nationwide, Giving 4th invites Americans to support causes they care about as part of the country’s 250th birthday.

“Our goal is to transform July 4, 2026 into the largest single day of charitable giving in U.S. history,” said Chair Rios. “Our ambition is to establish July 4th as a permanent national tradition of giving–on par with the holidays, but uniquely American in spirit.”

More details on how to donate on July 4 are coming soon.

More Ways to Participate (July 3-5)

In addition to America’s Block Party and the national give-back effort, America250 is activating partners across sports, culture, and history to ensure every American has a way to get involved.

Major League Baseball is scheduled to host 15 games at 15 ballparks, giving Americans across the country the opportunity to enjoy the National Pastime on the Fourth of July.
America’s Time Capsule will be publicly displayed in Philadelphia before being ceremonially buried at Independence National Historical Park on July 4. The capsule will remain sealed until 2276.
The International Parade of Tall Ships hosted by Sail4th 250 will feature more than 46 tall ships parading into the Port of New York and New Jersey on July 4th. The ships will remain for four days of free public visitation.
America’s Birthday Cake, inspired by America’s Field Trip and created by fine art cake artist and entrepreneur Grace “Grey” Pak of Duchess of Cameron and Netflix’s Is It Cake?, will be unveiled in Washington, D.C. on July 4 – blending artistry, precision and patriotic storytelling into an unforgettable centerpiece.
America’s Day of Reflection on July 5 will include America’s Potluck, a call for communities to come together and share a meal, presented by the America250 Utah Commission. Additional events coordinated by State and Territory Commissions will invite Americans to connect, reflect, and look ahead to the country’s next chapter.

America250 Drives Momentum from Sea to Shining Sea

The 100-day countdown begins as America250 continues to build nationwide momentum. In the first few months of 2026, America250 has shown up in some of the biggest moments in culture and sports, from ringing in the New Year in Times Square and appearing in the Rose Parade, to the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl. In addition to these moments, America250 continues to drive participation across its values-based programming:

Received thousands of student entries for America’s Field Trip and America’s Startup.
Expanded stops on the Our American Story tour to preserve stories from Americans across the country to include new stops with founding sponsor Walmart.
Built the Congressional America250 Caucus to more than 380 members, making it the largest bipartisan caucus in U.S. history.

About America250

America250’s mission is to celebrate and commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, marking America’s Semiquincentennial. We aim to inspire our fellow Americans to reflect on our past, strengthen our love of country, and renew our commitment to the ideals of democracy through programs that educate, engage, and unite us as a nation. America250 will foster shared experiences that spark imagination, showcase the rich tapestry of our American stories, inspire service in our communities, honor the enduring strength, and celebrate the resilience of the United States of America.

iHeartPodcasts and Best Case Studios’ New Show “Rorschach: Murder at City Hall” Tells The Forgotten Story of a Shocking Public Murder in New York City

iHeartMedia — Wed, 03/25/2026 - 08:00

WHAT: iHeartPodcasts and Best Case Studios today announced “Rorschach: Muder at City Hall,” a 10-episode investigative true crime podcast series.

July 2003, New York City Hall, downtown Manhattan. Two men arrive together and are ushered past the metal detectors. Both men are Black, handsome and wearing a suit. Both are carrying concealed weapons. Within an hour, both men are dead. Over 200 witnesses watched as Niel Askew shot former New York City police officer and current Councilman James E. Davis multiple times in the back in the balcony of the Council Chamber, and was then gunned down himself by a New City City cop on the security detail.

The story shocks the city. Then details emerge, and rumors begin to circulate. All that summer, the two men had been seen around Brooklyn together: in Davis’ office, at political events across the city, getting haircuts at a barbershop. So, what was the true nature of their relationship? But despite this very public assassination, the story is now almost completely forgotten, along with the mystery of what really happened between Niel Askew and James Davis.

Throughout 10 thirty-minutes episodes, “Rorschach: Murder at City Hall” explores double lives and fatal ambition, and how the destinies of these two men became entwined, along with the mystery behind this dramatic tragedy. But this is more than a murder story: it’s an investigation into an act of violence -- one that takes listeners into the underbelly of New York City politics, where ambition and desperation are often two sides of the same coin.

Executive producers are Brent Katz and Adam Pincus for Best Case Studios. The show is based on original reporting by journalist Brent Katz. Original Music by Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio and Wilder Zoby.

Episode 1: Shots Fired

Episode 2: How Could This Happen in City Hall?

Episode 3: A Victim of Blackmail

Episode 4: Niel’s Secret

Episode 5: Friends and Enemies

Episode 6: A City in Crisis

Episode 7: James Meets Niel

Episode 8: The Last Day

Episode 9: The Empty Seat

Episode 10: It Stays with You

WHO: Host Jamal Jordan is a journalist and mixed-media documentarian, former editor at The Washington Post. Jordan has worked at The New York Times and was a video producer at Vice and NBC News and elsewhere. He is the author of Queer Love in Color (Penguin Random House), a photographic celebration of the love and relationships of queer people of color. He lives in Brooklyn and lectures at Stanford University. Jordan also has a large following online, with over 69K followers on X. (former Twitter)

Journalist Brent Katz has produced podcasts for Audible, iHeartRadio, Spotify and elsewhere. He has written for the New York Times Magazine, the New Yorker, the Paris Review among others. “Rorschach: Murder at City Hall” began as his thesis at Columbia Journalism School. His debut short film, JOSH’S WEDDING, is coming out through the New Yorker.

WHEN: “Rorschach: Murder at City Hall” will be available March 25th, with new episodes launching every Wednesday. Listen to the official trailer now.

WHERE: “Rorschach: Murder at City Hall” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Episodes available one week early to subscribers of iHeart’s True Crime+ channel on Apple Podcasts. Follow @bestcasestudios on Instagram for updates.

Donnie Wahlberg, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Shaboozey, Teddi Mellencamp and Vin Diesel to Appear at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards Airing Thursday, March 26 on FOX

iHeartMedia — Tue, 03/24/2026 - 08:00

Previously Announced Appearances Include 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards Most-nominated Artist Taylor Swift, Along with Alysa Liu, NE-YO, Nicole Scherzinger, Nikki Glaser, sombr and Weezer

Hosted by Ludacris, the Event Features Previously Announced Performances by Alex Warren, John Mellencamp, Kehlani, Lainey Wilson, Ludacris, RAYE, and Performing for the First Time Together, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue

NEW YORK- March 24, 2026- iHeartMedia and FOX Entertainment announced today that the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards will feature special appearances by Donnie Wahlberg, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Shaboozey, Teddi Mellencamp and Vin Diesel. Teddi Mellencamp will present John Mellencamp with the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award. They join previously announced special guests including Taylor Swift, the show’s most-nominated artist, along with Alysa Liu, NE-YO, Nicole Scherzinger, Nikki Glaser, sombr and Weezer.

The 13th annual award show will air live from Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Thursday, March 26 (8-10 p.m. ET live / PT tape-delayed) on FOX and will also be heard on iHeartRadio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app.

Hosted by Ludacris, the event will feature previously announced performances by Alex Warren, John Mellencamp, Kehlani, Lainey Wilson, Ludacris, RAYE, and performing for the first time together, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue.

Additionally, as previously announced, John Mellencamp will be honored with the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award, Ludacris will receive the 2026 iHeartRadio Landmark Award, Miley Cyrus will be honored with the 2026 iHeartRadio Innovator Award and Alex Warren will receive the 2026 iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award.

The 13th annual iHeartRadio Music Awards will celebrate the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2025, while also offering a preview of the upcoming hits of 2026. The show will feature award presentations in multiple categories, live performances from the biggest artists in music, surprise guests and collaborations, and will showcase the stories of the winning artists’ road to No. 1.

Artists receiving several nominations include Alex Warren, Bad Bunny, Benson Boone, BLACKPINK, Chris Brown, Ed Sheeran, Ella Langley, GloRilla, Grupo Frontera, HUNTR/X: EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI, Jelly Roll, JENNIE, j-hope, KATSEYE, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Leon Thomas, Linkin Park, LISA, Mariah the Scientist, MOLIY, Morgan Wallen, Myles Smith, RAYE, ROSÉ, Sabrina Carpenter, Shinedown, sombr, SZA, Tate McRae, Taylor Swift, Twenty One Pilots and Zara Larsson.

For a full list of categories, visit iHeartRadio.com/awards.

Proud partners of this year’s event on iHeart’s platforms include H&R Block, She Rises Studios, and Trashie with more to be announced.

B-roll of the Dolby Theatre BTS: HERE.

Artists and/or events subject to change or cancellation without notice.

About FOX Entertainment

With a legacy spanning nearly 40 years, FOX Entertainment is one of the world’s most recognizable media brands and a prolific content producer across its iconic broadcast network and both owned and third-party platforms worldwide. Known for its independent, innovative spirit and provocative, groundbreaking storytelling, the company includes three key business units: FOX Television Network, FOX Entertainment Studios and worldwide content sales and licensing unit FOX Entertainment Global.

While maintaining its leadership in linear television with an exceptional slate of original series – including Doc, Extracted, Memory of a Killer, The Masked Singer, The Floor, The Simpsons, Animal Control, Going Dutch, Murder in a Small Town, Hell’s Kitchen and LEGO Masters – FOX Entertainment is growing its portfolio of studio engines, business operations and library of owned original content.

To date, the FOX Entertainment Studios division includes its in-house unscripted studio with hits The Masked Singer, I Can See Your Voice and Name That Tune, and scripted content studio featuring comedies Animal Control and Going Dutch and signature drama series Best Medicine, The Faithful, The Way Home and The Chicken Sisters. The unit also oversees the award-winning animation studio Bento Box Entertainment with animated comedies including Krapopolis, Grimsburg, Hazbin Hotel and Universal Basic Guys; entertainment platform TMZ with its tentpole primetime series TMZ Investigates; its new independent film label Tideline Entertainment with inaugural releases including First Time Female Director, Ponyboi and Slanted; and the culinary and lifestyle content venture Studio Ramsay Global in partnership with iconic chef Gordon Ramsay, featuring food-themed original series on FOX such as Next Level Chef, Kitchen Nightmares and Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service, as well as the new next-gen global food brand and entertainment platform Bite, No Taste Like Home on Disney+, Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars on Apple+ and a new untitled Gordon Ramsay documentary series on Netflix in early 2026.

As a global content creator and production partner, FOX Entertainment Studios collaborates with studios and platforms worldwide, including Disney, Hulu, Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony Pictures Television, Prime Video, Netflix, Apple+, Hallmark, Lifetime, TelevisaUnivision, UK’s Channel 4, France’s TF1, German’s ProSieben, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia’s Foxtel and FOX-owned streamer Tubi, among others.

About Jesse Collins Entertainment

Founded in 2012, Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full-service Emmy winning production company that has played an integral role in producing many of television's most memorable moments in music entertainment.  JCE's award-winning and critically acclaimed television includes programming from its four divisions—specials, sports, scripted and unscripted. From the specials division: award shows—The Emmy Awards, The 2021 and 2022 American Music Awards, The 2022 Golden Globes, BET Awards, Soul Train Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, Black Girls Rock!, BET Honors, UNCF's An Evening of Stars and ABFF Honors; specials—Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular, Christmas in Rockefeller Center, The Light We Carry: Michelle Obama & Oprah Winfrey (Primetime Emmy Award nominee), A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop, Lil Rel Howery: I said it. Y'all thinking it., CNN's Juneteenth: A Global Celebration of Freedom, Martin: The Reunion, John Lewis: Celebrating A Hero, Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration, Change Together: From The March On Washington To Today, A GRAMMY Salute to the Sounds of Change, Stand Up for Heroes, Dear Mama, Amanda Seales: I Be Knowin', Def Comedy Jam 25, Leslie Jones: Time Machine, The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular and Rip the Runway. From the sports division: Beyoncé Bowl at the Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans NFL 2024 Christmas Game (Primetime Emmy Award winner), The Super Bowl Halftime Show (Primetime Emmy Award winner), The 95th Major League Baseball All-Star Game Pre-Game Show, The 2025 World Series Game 1 Anthem, NFL Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day Halftime Show starring Jack White and Netflix’s Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party. From the scripted division: scripted series—Real Husbands of Hollywood, American Soul and miniseries—The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story. From the unscripted division: unscripted series – Heart & Hustle: Houston, Tia Mowry: My Next Act, Gabrielle Union: My Journey to 50, Oh Hell No! With Marlon Wayans, Cardi Tries, My Killer Body with K. Michelle, DJ Cassidy's Pass the Mic and Forward: The Future of Black Music, competition series—Hollywood Squares, Rhythm + Flow, Celebrity Squares, Becoming A Popstar, Sunday Best, Hip Hop Squares and Nashville Squares, talk shows – We Got Time Today, Yara Shahidi's Day Off and Face to Face with Becky G, and children's series—Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices (Daytime Emmy Award winner).  Emmy Award winner Jesse Collins is the Founder & CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment and executive producer of all JCE programming. He is also an executive producer for the annual GRAMMY Awards and produced the 2021 Oscars. Emmy winner Dionne Harmon is President. Emmy nominee Jeannae Rouzan-Clay is Senior Vice President of Specials.

About The Dolby Theatre

One of the world’s premier entertainment venues, Dolby Theatre Hollywood, which turns 25 years-old in 2026, has hosted a range of notable international television specials and award events including NBC/Peacock networks’ first of its kind “Wicked: For Good” special November 6, featuring stars of the original movie, The Academy Awards, ABC’s Kelly & Mark ‘After Oscars Special’, the American Idol finals, AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards to Francis Ford Coppola, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, George Lucas and others, ESPN’s ESPY Awards, the BET Awards, iHeartRadio Music Awards, K-pop’s “MAMA” Awards, PaleyFest, Clio Awards, Netflix is a Joke Festival, America’s Got Talent and the Daytime Emmy Awards.

Many legendary artists, including Alicia Keys, Celine Dion, Elvis Costello, Barry Manilow, Stevie Wonder, Harry Connick, Jr., Melissa Etheridge, Dixie Chicks, Tyler Perry, and Louis C.K., Hillary Clinton book tour with Maria Shriver, and a host of touring productions, from “Dancing With The Stars Live” to “Annie,” “Hairspray,” “Tootsie” and “Rent,” have been featured on the Dolby stage.

iHeartMedia and TikTok Pioneer a New Album Release Model, Redefining How Artists Launch Music

iHeartMedia — Mon, 03/23/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK- March 23, 2026 - In a move that could reshape how albums are introduced in the streaming era, iHeartMedia and TikTok debuted a next-generation release format that merges the scale of broadcast radio with the interactivity of a community-driven platform, delivering record-breaking results and outlining a new blueprint for artist launches moving forward. Building on the excitement around Bruno Mars’ first solo album in 10 years, the two companies partnered with Atlantic Records to launch “Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars: An iHeartRadio Album Preview,” which streamed LIVE on @brunomars, @iheartradio, and @tiktok, was promoted on more than 270 iHeartRadio stations, and broadcasted on more than 145 iHeartRadio stations nationwide on February 26.

How it worked:

For the early release of his new album, The Romantic, Bruno Mars invited fans to submit their love stories via the iHeartRadio app’s Talkback feature and on TikTok LIVE for a chance to receive song dedications and advice directly from Bruno. Surprise callers, including Victoria Monét, Anderson .Paak and ROSÉ further amplified the event’s cultural impact. During the program, Bruno debuted all nine songs from The Romantic, sharing the music directly with fans ahead of the album’s worldwide launch, and announced the video for “Risk It All” would be released alongside the album later that evening. iHeartMedia extended the debut into a multiweek celebration across 270+ iHeart stations, driving continuous storytelling, fan engagement, and on-air promotion, building momentum leading up to and following the album preview event.

The collaboration demonstrated how album release strategies are evolving. By integrating fan interaction, live broadcast distribution, and platform-native amplification, the event created a synchronized launch moment across platforms and delivered measurable engagement— bridging radio, social, and streaming in one unified moment and offering artists, labels, and brand partners a new framework for future launches.

“Bruno wanted the release of The Romantic to feel personal, and ‘Romantic Radio’ did exactly that. This was the first time he sat down to discuss the album, and it gave him the chance to share that moment directly with his fans,” said Aaron Elharar, Mars’ manager (Gorilla Management). “Partnering with iHeartMedia and TikTok enabled us to make that connection truly count, turning one live conversation into a global event.”

The result:

iHeartMedia drove over 3 billion impressions during this campaign across its full range of assets, which included broadcast radio promotion, social media, and digital promotion to the “Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars: An iHeartRadio Album Preview” event, which streamed live on TikTok and on iHeart stations nationwide. As a result, the event saw unprecedented engagement—reaching 36 million likes within the hour and a record-breaking number of unique viewers—the highest number for a LIVE new album release in the past 12 months. The Romantic became Bruno Mars’ first album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with every song on the album among the top 100 streaming songs in the US and Global, and “Risk It All” became the No. 1 streaming song in the US for the week.

“Bruno poured his heart into The Romantic, and the fan response has been incredible. Through the power of both of these massive platforms, iHeartMedia and TikTok together created a bespoke event that helped debut the album,” said Brady Bedard, EVP of Promotion at Atlantic Music Group. “This was promotion at the speed of culture—real-time fan and artist connectivity, massive broadcast exposure, and immediate interactive engagement. That synergy helped drive the album week of release and with this new success, set a new bar for how albums can break through.”

“The iHeartMedia–TikTok album release format signals a broader shift: from passive distribution to an interactive cultural moment that delivered deeper engagement and set record-breaking results,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “By pairing iHeartMedia’s scale and listener engagement with TikTok’s cultural momentum, we’ve created a new kind of album launch—one that turns a release into an event. This is more than a partnership; it’s a model for how artists can debut music, tours, even a new single in a more immersive, measurable, and impactful way.”

“We’re thrilled to have joined forces with Bruno Mars and iHeartMedia to bring fans together for this special album preview on TikTok LIVE,” said Shen Gao, Head of LIVE Operations, Americas at TikTok. “The experience created a space where Bruno’s community could discover his new music together in real time — reacting, celebrating, and joining the conversation as it unfolded. Moments like this transform a release into a shared cultural experience where fans are actively participating. TikTok LIVE gives artists like Bruno Mars a powerful way to reach their community and connect with fans on a more personal level.”

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and its offices include New York, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

About Bruno Mars:

Bruno Mars is a 16x GRAMMY®-winning global superstar, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and one of the most-streamed artists in the world. Known for his showmanship and chart-toppers, Bruno has set a number of records throughout his career, including becoming the first artist ever to hit 150 million monthly listeners on Spotify, appearing on two of the fastest songs to reach one billion streams (for “Die with a Smile” with Lady Gaga and “APT.” with ROSÉ, and achieving the highest-certified song in RIAA history with 2010’s “Just the Way You Are”). Since launching a string of hits beginning in 2009, Bruno has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. Beyond his work as a soloist, Bruno is a member of the duo Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak. In addition to his 35 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including ten number one singles, Bruno is the recipient of 16 GRAMMY® Awards (including “Album of the Year” for 24K Magic), 14 American Music Awards, and seven MTV Video Music Awards. His 24K Magic World Tour was among the highest-grossing tours in history, and within the top ten highest-grossing of the 2010s. He recently released his 10th No. 1 single, “I Just Might,” which is the first song from his long-awaited fourth solo album, The Romantic, and inaugural No. 1 debut. Marking his first solo album in a decade, and first album to debut at No.1 on the Billboard 200, The Romantic is available everywhere now.

iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Renew Exclusive Podcast Partnership with Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers as Award-Winning “Las Culturistas” Celebrates 10-Year Milestone

iHeartMedia — Mon, 03/23/2026 - 08:00

The duo’s hit show “Las Culturistas” celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a special episode featuring guest Nicole Kidman

NEW YORK – March 23, 2026 – iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Podcast Network today announced a multiyear renewal of the exclusive podcast partnership with Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers. The deal comes as the podcasting power duo’s award-winning pop culture show “Las Culturistas” celebrates its 10-year anniversary, marking the milestone with an extra special episode featuring screen icon Nicole Kidman.

Launched in March 2016, “Las Culturistas” has become a podcasting mainstay and must-stop destination for a star-studded list of actors, musicians, comedians and anyone who is defining what culture is now. The duo joined iHeart and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Podcast Network in 2020 and have since won Podcast of the Year at the 2023 and 2025 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards; comedy podcast wins from the GLAAD Media Awards in 2024 and the Ambies in 2025; and a Special Achievement Award in 2024 from the Signal Awards. This year, the duo was honored by GLAAD with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award for their efforts to significantly raise visibility for members of the LGBTQ community and promote acceptance of queer issues.

“We couldn’t be happier to continue ‘Las Culturistas’ alongside our friends at iHeart and Big Money Players. Hopefully people start spreading the word about podcasts, a medium with a lot of potential,” said Rogers and Yang.

“I don’t think so Honey? Well I DO think so! To say we are honored to have this partnership renewed is an understatement. Bowen and Matt have created through hard work and their brilliance, a podcast that continues to entertain, through humor and inclusion, a massive, ever growing audience. They are two of the funniest people ever and dare I say it…great Americans!,” said Will Ferrell.

The weekly show takes listeners on unforgettable journeys into the beating heart of culture with regular hit segments including the often-viral “I Don’t Think So, Honey” and the quintessential question of the podcast: “What is the culture that made you say culture was for you?” Armed with their dedicated fanbase of readers, publicists, Kayteighs, finalists and Kyles, Matt and Bowen serve as the official arbiters of culture alongside sizzling special guests -- including Mariah Carey, Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Reese Witherspoon, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Aniston, Charli XCX, Chappell Roan and many more – as they get into the hottest moments everyone can’t stop talking about and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas.

“It’s been an incredible decade for Matt and Bowen as they grew ‘Las Culturistas’ into a cultural powerhouse as influential as the ‘Rules of Culture’ they set for us every week, and we’re thrilled to continue our partnership as they keep defining and ranting about culture with the biggest names in the business,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts.

In 2025, Las Culturistas brought their annual “Las Culturistas Culture Awards” to audiences nationwide with the hit awards show airing on Bravo and Peacock – and the Awards will return again this year. The duo also hosts the iHeartPodcasts original series in partnership with NBC Universal, “Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & the Olympics,” covering the biggest moments in culture to come out the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris and the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan Cortino.

Listen to “Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang” on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. See the full catalog of Big Money Players podcasts here.

Yang and Rogers are represented by UTA, 3 Arts and SRDA.

About Bowen Yang

Bowen Yang is an Emmy®-nominated comedian, actor and writer who has captivated audiences with his distinct wit and comedic style while breaking barriers across film, television and podcasting. He currently co-hosts the critically acclaimed podcast, Las Culturistas, alongside Matt Rogers. Yang and Rogers recently brought their Las Culturistas Culture Awards to television for the first time, which aired on Bravo and Peacock in 2025 and will be returning in 2026. Las Culturistas was named Podcast of the Year at the iHeart Radio Podcast Awards in 2023 and 2025. He was recently honored with the Vantage Award at the 2025 Academy Museum Gala and more recently, he and Matt received the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 2026 GLAAD Media Awards.

Yang starred in THE WEDDING BANQUET, Andrew Ahn’s remake of the 1993 comedy, opposite Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran and Han Gi-chan. Yang also starred in Universal Pictures’ Academy® award-nominated film WICKED as “Pfannee” and reprised his role in WICKED: FOR GOOD, released on November 21, 2025. In 2026, Yang will lend his vocal talents as a voice in Warner Brothers’ animated film THE CAT IN THE HAT.

As he celebrated his seventh season as part of the main cast of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, Yang created memorable moments and characters throughout his time on the show. Joining the show as a writer in 2018 and becoming an on-air cast member in 2019, he has gone on to receive four Emmy® Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, making him the most-nominated Asian male performer in Emmy® history. He also received an Emmy® nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series in 2019, on behalf of SNL. Yang’s last SNL show was on December 22, 2025 with a poetic send off from Ariana Grande and Cher.

About Matt Rogers

Featured on Variety’s 2025 Comedy Impact Report, Matt Rogers is an actor, comedian, writer, and recording artist with undeniable talent and charm. On screen, he starred in the Netflix dark comedy No Good Deed alongside Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano, and broke out with I Love That For You and the acclaimed queer rom-com Fire Island. He has also appeared in Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune, Apple TV’s Palm Royale, and Prime Video’s Overcompensating. Behind the scenes, he wrote for The Other Two and Q-Force—voicing Twink—and co-created and co-hosted the short-form competition series Gayme Show with Dave Mizzoni.

He co-hosts the hit podcast Las Culturistas alongside Bowen Yang—named one of TIME’s “100 Best Podcasts of All Time” and winner of Podcast of the Year at the 2023 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards—and the duo’s sold-out Las Culturistas Culture Awards, which aired on Bravo and Peacock in 2025 and will return for 2026. Dubbed the “Prince of Christmas,” Rogers released his holiday dance-pop album Have You Heard of Christmas? in 2023 with Capitol Records and tours annually with his festive live show. His work has earned an iHeartPodcast Award and Ambie for Las Culturistas, a Gotham Award as part of the ensemble of Fire Island, and the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 2026 GLAAD Media Awards.

iHeartMedia World Premieres New Singles from BTS, Muse; Launches “Bob Kingsley’s Countdown Classics”

iHeartMedia — Fri, 03/20/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK – March 20, 2026 – iHeartMedia recently highlighted new music and artists alike with special programming, including new World Premiere debuts and more.

This week, BTS’s new single “Swim” had a World Premiere debut on March 20 across all iHeartRadio CHR and Hot AC stations, and Muse’s new single “Be With You” had a World Premiere debut on March 19 across all iHeartRadio Alt stations.

Additionally, iHeartRadio launched “Bob Kingsley’s Countdown Classics” this week, a new streaming station dedicated to the legendary countdown show hosted by one of country radio’s most beloved voices, Bob Kingsley. Fans can listen to classic episodes of the Bob Kingsley Country Top 40 countdown show anytime by opening the iHeartRadio app and searching “Bob Kingsley.”

For the latest news, music fans can download the iHeartRadio app; follow iHeartRadio on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, Facebook and YouTube; and visit iHeartRadio.com.

iHeartRadio Launches Bob Kingsley’s Classic Country Top 40 Digital Station Featuring Classic Episodes of the Legendary Countdown Show

iHeartMedia — Thu, 03/19/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK, NY — March 19, 2026 -- iHeartRadio announced today the launch of Bob Kingsley’s Countdown Classics, a new streaming station dedicated to the legendary countdown show hosted by one of country radio’s most beloved voices, Bob Kingsley.

Kingsley, a member of both the National Radio Hall of Fame and the Country Radio Hall of Fame, passed away in 2019, and the station launches today in celebration of what would have been the legend’s 86th birthday.

The station features the original Bob Kingsley Country Top 40 countdown shows, giving listeners the chance to relive the biggest country hits exactly as fans heard them on the radio. Each episode captures the songs, stories and artist insights that made Kingsley a trusted voice in country music for decades. Fans can listen anytime by opening the iHeartRadio app and searching “Bob Kingsley.”

“I am so pleased that Bob’s Country Top 40 programs will be available to a generation of listeners with the help of our friends at iHeartRadio. What a wonderful birthday present to honor him,” said Nan Kingsley. “Bob wanted the countdown show to represent the best of Country music, and he worked tirelessly with his team to ensure the highest quality content was produced. I know you’ll hear that dedication when you rediscover these shows.”

The channel – a partnership with iHeartRadio, The Kingsley Estate and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where the Kingsley audio archives are housed – will also feature specials including Bob Kingsley’s Christmas In America during the holidays.

“Bob Kingsley was one of the most recognizable and respected voices in country radio history,” said Jon Zellner, President of Programming Operations and Digital Music for iHeartMedia. “His countdowns didn’t just play the biggest country songs of the week -- he told the stories behind them and helped deepen the connection between the music and the fans. With this new iHeartRadio station, fans can once again experience the magic of those shows and reconnect with the music and artists and songwriters that shaped country radio.”

Bob Kingsley’s Classic Country Top 40 joins iHeartRadio’s lineup of hundreds of digital stations and thousands of live broadcast stations available on the iHeartRadio app, iHeartMedia’s free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service – available across more than 500 platforms and over 2,000 devices including smart speakers, digital auto dashes, tablets, wearables, smartphones, virtual assistants, televisions and gaming consoles.

About Bob Kingsley

Bob Kingsley’s voice has been heard on radio across eight decades. At 18, Kingsley joined the Air Force and served in Keflavik, Iceland, where he jumped at a chance to become an announcer on Armed Forces Radio. That experience and his love of Country music would carry him to legendary stations like KFOX, KGBS, KFI, and KLAC in Los Angeles, and to his role as the voice of Drake-Chenault’s Great American Country format, used by hundreds of Country radio stations. In 1974 Bob Kingsley signed on as producer of American Country Countdown with Don Bowman (1974-1978), taking over as host and executive producer of American Country Countdown with Bob Kingsley from 1978-2005. Daily short-form features—America’s Music Makers with Bob Kingsley and Country’s Hit Makers with Bob Kingsley—aired from 1988-2006, with a collection of more than 75 specials airing from 1978-2019. Between 2006-2019 Kingsley hosted and produced his own syndicated Country Top 40 with Bob Kingsley countdown, which continues today, hosted by Fitz. The Bob Kingsley Estate’s multi-year partnership with Nashville Songwriters Association International features Bob Kingsley’s NSAI Top 40 quarterly spotlights of the best songs from unsigned songwriters. The Estate’s partnership with The Bluebird Cafe includes a series of Bob Kingsley Presents performances spotlighting hitmaking songwriters alongside audio snippets from Bob’s archives. Country Radio Seminar annually salutes Bob’s impact on the genre, with Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley event. Bob’s impact on Country music and Country radio was documented in a 2021 print and audio book Bob Kingsley’s Book Of Records, available here. Bob’s widow and business partner, Nan Kingsley, donated Bluestem Studios in Texas, where Kingsley recorded his shows, to Weatherford College in 2021 as part of a larger gift under the banner of The Nan & Bob Kingsley Center. Her philanthropic efforts on behalf of the Estate have also included The Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award benefiting the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund, which has raised more than $400,000 since its inception. In 2019 and 2021, selections from Bob’s audio archives were gifted to the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, preserving Kingsley’s legacy for future generations. .

2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards Most-Nominated Artist Taylor Swift to Make a Special Appearance at This Year’s Award Show

iHeartMedia — Thu, 03/19/2026 - 08:00

John Mellencamp to Perform and Receive the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award

Kehlani Joins the Lineup of Performers for This Year’s Award Show

The Event Will Feature Additional Special Appearances by Alysa Liu, Ne-Yo, Nicole Scherzinger, Nikki Glaser, sombr, Weezer and More

The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards Air Thursday, March 26, on FOX Live From Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles

NEW YORK—March 19, 2026— iHeartMedia and FOX Entertainment today announced that Taylor Swift, this year’s most-nominated artist with nine nominations, will make a special appearance at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, her first award show appearance this year. The show will also honor John Mellencamp with the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award, who will perform at the event. Additionally, Kehlani joins previously announced performers Alex Warren, Lainey Wilson, Ludacris, RAYE, and performing for the first time together, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue.

Hosted by Ludacris, the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards will also feature special appearances by Alysa Liu, Ne-Yo, Nicole Scherzinger, Nikki Glaser, sombr, Weezer and more. The annual award show will air live from Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Thursday, March 26 (8-10 p.m. ET live / PT tape-delayed) on FOX and will also be heard on iHeartRadio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app.

This year’s iHeartRadio Icon Award recipient is John Mellencamp. Few artists embody the spirit of the American storyteller as completely as John Mellencamp. For more than five decades, his songwriting has captured the hearts of millions of fans. From defining an era with “Jack & Diane,” “Pink Houses” and “Small Town” to continuing to influence generations of musicians with his unmistakable voice and point of view, Mellencamp’s work is woven deeply into the cultural fabric of the United States.

This summer, Mellencamp will embark on his highly anticipated Dancing Words Tour — The Greatest Hits, performing the songs that have defined his career, many of which he hasn’t played live in decades. Equally important to Mellencamp’s artistry is his longstanding dedication to activism and advocacy. Throughout his career, he has championed causes close to America’s heartland, including co‑founding Farm Aid to support family farmers, a commitment that has spanned nearly 40 years. His voice has always stood for compassion, community and integrity, reflecting the very values the Icon Award seeks to honor.

Additionally, as previously announced, Ludacris will receive the 2026 iHeartRadio Landmark Award, Miley Cyrus will be honored with the 2026 iHeartRadio Innovator Award and Alex Warren will receive the 2026 iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award.

For a full list of categories, visit iHeartRadio.com/awards.

Proud partners of this year’s event on iHeart’s platforms include H&R Block, She Rises Studios, and Trashie with more to be announced.

Artists and/or events subject to change or cancellation without notice.

About FOX Entertainment

About Jesse Collins Entertainment

iHeartMedia Celebrates the Best in Podcasting During the Eighth Annual iHeartPodcast Awards Live at SXSW

iHeartMedia — Tue, 03/17/2026 - 08:00

“Giggly Squad” with hosts Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo takes home coveted Podcast of the Year Award

Hosted by Ego Nwodim, the event also included Will Ferrell and special guest presenters Eric Andre, Jennie Garth, Lele Pons, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, Iliza Shlesinger, Rider Strong and more

Jay Shetty, Terry Gross and Hrishikesh Hirway honored with Icon Awards

NEW YORK AND AUSTIN – March 16, 2026 – Monday night, the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards Live at SXSW brought together the most influential names in podcasting to honor the most entertaining and innovative podcasts of 2025, celebrating the incredible talent and wide variety of leaders across the podcasting industry live in Austin, Texas at ACL Live at the Moody Theater. The show was hosted by comedian Ego Nwodim and streamed live exclusively on VEEPS. The event also broadcasted on select iHeartMedia radio stations at 11p.m. local time and was available live on the iHeartRadio app.

The night featured a variety of appearances by award nominees, celebrity presenters and special guests including Podcast of the Year winners Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo, presenters Clayton Echard, Eric Andre, Iliza Shlesinger, Jennie Garth, Jonathan Goldstein, Juju Green, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, Lele Pons, Rider Strong among others, as well as TikTok creators Caroline Vazzana, Clifford Taylor IV and Timothy Martin. Special guests included Andrea Gunning, Chris Wylde, DJ Dramos, Elyse Myers, Laurie Santos and many nominees.

In addition to the fan-voted and category awards, iHeartMedia presented three Icon Awards – the Social Impact Award to Jay Shetty, the Audible Audio Pioneer Award to Terry Gross and the Innovator Award to Hrishikesh Hirway – honoring individuals who have made groundbreaking contributions to the podcasting medium.

The 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards event highlights include:

Will Ferrell kicked off the show in full Team USA speed skating gear as he joked to the crowd full of a “few of his peers and many of his admirers” that he almost made the team for the 2026 Winter Olympics. He then introduced host Ego Nwodim.
Host Ego Nwodim, who was also nominated in the Best Emerging category for her podcast “Thanks Dad,” welcomed the audience and talked about the importance of podcasts while reminding the audio-savvy audience not to peak the mics.
“My Favorite Murder” hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark presented the Best Travel Award to “Women Who Travel.” Host Lale Arikoglu thanked the women who shared their stories.
Lele Pons, host of the upcoming “Suite 305” podcast, presented the Best Emerging podcast to “Smart Girl Dumb Questions with Nayeema Raza.”
“Broken Record” host Justin Richmond presented the 2026 Social Impact Award to Jay Shetty and his “On Purpose” podcast. Shetty accepted the award via video message.
Jennie Garth, host of “I Choose Me,” celebrated the shows nominated for Best TV & Film for keeping us all engaged before presenting the award to “Watch What Crappens.” Hosts Ronnie Karam and Ben Mandelker accepted the award by first being excited to talk to Garth and thanking Bravo for providing plenty of TV to escape into.
Host Ego Nwodim pitched her own True Crime podcast to uncover the missing person sitting in an empty chair, delighting the audience with her on-the-spot trailer for the show.
Rider Strong presented Best Crime to the “Wisecrack” team who recounted the six-episode show’s 10-year journey to being made and celebrated the balance between light and darkness.
Eric Andre joked about SXSW hangover and the founding of podcasting before presenting Best Comedy Award to “Good Hang with Amy Poehler.” Poehler accepted via video message and thanked her listeners, teasing her next episode with Viola Davis.
Juju Green presented the Innovator Award to Hrishikesh Hirway who recounted the beginnings of “Song Exploder” and his want to dive into every beat of creating the music we hear.
“Love Trapped” hosts Clayton Echard and Stephani Young presented Best Advice/Inspirational Award to “Thanks For Asking with Nora McInerny,” who offered some advice to her fellow nominees Michelle Obama, Chrissy Teigen and Jay Shetty to “stick to it.”
TikTok creators and podcast hosts Clifford Taylor IV and Timothy Martin presented Best Business & Finance to “The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett.”
Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo took the stage to award the Best Ensemble Award presented by Gatorade Lower Sugar to “The Basement Yard.” Hosts Joe Santagato and Frank Alvarez accepted the award by shouting out how they’ve been friends since they were four and get to live their comedy dreams together.
Jonathan Goldstein presented the Audible Audio Pioneer Icon Award to “Fresh Air” host Terry Gross, who accepted her award via video message. She recounted her beginnings as a volunteer at her college radio station and gaining her skills by broadcasting in front of nearly no audience.
TikTok creator Caroline Vazzana presented Best News to “The MeidasTouch Podcast.” Hosts and brothers Ben, Brett and Jordy Meiselas thanked their wives and shouted out podcasts with the courage to call out injustice.
Iliza Shlesinger presented Podcast of the Year to Giggly Squad hosts Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo. Hannah joked how Paige first said no to their podcast because she “has a face for television” before Paige thanked their listeners for always tuning in.

The full list of 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards winners are:

PODCAST OF THE YEAR:

Giggly Squad

Best Business & Finance:

The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett

Best Comedy:

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Best Crime:

Wisecrack

Best Wellness & Fitness:

The Mel Robbins Podcast

Best News:

The MeidasTouch Podcast

Best Overall Ensemble Presented by Gatorade Lower Sugar:

The Basement Yard

Best TV & Film:

Watch What Crappens

Best Travel:

Women Who Travel

Best Emerging:

Smart Girl Dumb Questions with Nayeema Raza

Best Pop Culture:

Call Her Daddy

Best Food:

Eating While Broke

Best History:

The Rest Is History

Best Kids & Family:

Circle Round

Best Music

All Songs Considered

Best Fiction:

Murder at the Patel Motel

Best Sports:

Pardon My Take

Best Science:

Hidden Brain

Best Technology:

Acquired

Best Ad Read:

My Brother, My Brother and Me

Best Overall Host:

Caleb Hearon

Best Political:

Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar

Best Spanish Language:

Chente Ydrach

Best Advice / Inspirational Presented by She Rises Studios

Thanks For Asking

Best Beauty & Fashion:

Naked Beauty

Best Spirituality & Religion:

Elevation with Steven Furtick

Best Branded Podcast:

The Unshakeables (Chase for Business)

Best International:

Shameless (Australia)

Proud partners of this year’s iHeartPodcast Awards include Audible, Avocados from Mexico, Gatorade Lower Sugar and She Rises Studios.

Executive producers for the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards are John Sykes, Tom Poleman, Conal Byrne and Bart Peters for iHeartMedia.

The 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards is part of iHeartMedia’s roster of nationally recognized events including the iHeartRadio Music Awards, the iHeartRadio Music Festival, the nationwide iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Concert Tour, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, iHeartCountry Festival and iHeartRadio ALTer Ego.

For more information on the iHeartPodcast Awards, visit the website here.

To access photos and b-roll from the event, please use the links below:

Red Carpet/Winners Walk photos: HERE (Credit Mat Hayward for iHeartMedia)
Show photos: HERE (Credit Ismael Quintanilla III for iHeartMedia)
B-roll: HERE

About SXSW

SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of tech, film and television, music, education, and culture. An essential destination for global professionals, the annual March event features sessions, music, and comedy showcases, film and television screenings, exhibitions, professional development, and a variety of opportunities to meet and connect with people. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and individuals come together. SXSW 2025 will take place March 7–15 in Austin. Learn more at sxsw.com.

TNA Wrestling and iHeartMedia Announce Major Multi-Platform Collaboration

iHeartMedia — Mon, 03/16/2026 - 08:00

TNA Wrestling and iHeartMedia today announced a new multi-platform collaboration that will integrate iHeartMedia across TNA’s premium live events, weekly television programming, digital platforms and fan experiences, while tapping into iHeartMedia’s expansive nationwide audio network to engage fans across broadcast, live events, and digital media in new and dynamic ways..

As part of the agreement, iHeartMedia will serve as the Presenting Sponsor of the TNA Wrestling Pay-Per-View Pre-Show for all remaining 2026 premium live events. The integration will feature prominent brand visibility across broadcast graphics, in-arena announcements and event marketing tied to TNA’s major premium live events throughout the year.

iHeartMedia will also be the Presenting Sponsor of the TNA Wrestling Dream Seats, the premium front-row seating program at TNA live events. The sponsorship will include branded seating elements, digital ticket integrations, in-arena announcements and exclusive fan engagement opportunities throughout the year.

On TNA’s flagship weekly television program, Thursday Night iMPACT!, airing nationally on AMC, and streaming on AMC+ in the U.S., and worldwide on TNA+, iHeartMedia will receive premium broadcast integration including sponsorship of the LED Walkout Ramp, one of the most visually recognizable elements of TNA’s live events and television presentations.

Additional elements of the collaboration include:

In-venue commercial inventory and guardrail branding at TNA live events
Digital integrations across TNA’s website and streaming platforms
Social media collaboration and digital storytelling
Hospitality and VIP fan experience opportunities tied to major events throughout 2026

Through its national network of radio stations, podcasts and streaming platforms, iHeartMedia will collaborate with TNA Wrestling to amplify key events, premium live broadcasts and major moments throughout the year, connecting fans with the action both inside and outside the ring.

“We are excited to welcome iHeartMedia as a national partner for TNA Wrestling,” said Carlos Silva, President of TNA Wrestling. “Their ability to connect with audiences across radio, podcasts and digital platforms makes them an ideal partner as we continue to expand our reach and bring the energy of TNA to fans across the country.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with TNA Wrestling and help bring the excitement of the brand to listeners nationwide,” said Michael Biondo, President of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships. “Through the power of iHeartMedia’s audio platforms and personalities, we look forward to connecting fans with TNA’s athletes, events and stories in new and engaging ways.”

The partnership will launch April 11 at Rebellion, TNA Wrestling’s major pay-per-view event at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, and will continue with expanded activations throughout the year, including the long-running Slammiversary event this summer and additional premium live events.

Select events may also feature appearances from iHeartRadio personalities and musical guests as part of live fan activations.

About TNA Wrestling:

A subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. and a division of Anthem Sports Group, Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling® is one of the world's top wrestling brands, producing over 200 hours of original content annually and televised in 200 countries including AMC in the United States. Founded in 2002, TNA Wrestling’s deep library of premium content is streamed across the world on key OTT platforms including Pluto TV, Roku SamsungTV Plus and its own on-demand subscription service TNA+©. TNA Wrestling has a powerful social media presence with over 10 million engaged followers across all major services. Ancillary businesses include live events, merchandise, licensing, and sponsorship.

iHeartMedia Names Freya Skye as Latest ‘On the Verge’ Artist; World Premieres New Singles from Eagles, Kane Brown, Carly Pearce ft. Riley Green

iHeartMedia — Fri, 03/13/2026 - 08:00

NEW YORK – March 13, 2026 – iHeartMedia recently highlighted new music and artists alike with special programming, including new ‘On The Verge’ artists and World Premiere debuts.

Earlier this year, iHeartMedia named Freya Skye the latest ‘On The Verge’ CHR artist with her single “Silent Treatment.” iHeartMedia’s ‘On The Verge’ program helps build awareness for up-and-coming artists through its radio airplay and historically, all ‘On The Verge’ artists have charted in the top 30, with more than half landing in the top 10 and over a third claiming the No. 1 chart slot.

This week, legendary rock band Eagles’ “Carol” had a World Premiere debut on March 10 across all iHeartRadio Classic Hits stations; Carly Pearce and Riley Green’s “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” had a World Premiere debut on March 12 across all iHeartCountry stations; and Kane Brown’s “Woman” had a World Premiere debut on March 13 across all iHeartCountry stations.

For the latest news, music fans can download the iHeartRadio app; follow iHeartRadio on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, Facebook and YouTube; and visit iHeartRadio.com.

iHeartMedia Announces Presenters and Special Guests for the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards Airing Live and Free on VEEPS from SXSW March 16 at 7 p.m. CT

iHeartMedia — Fri, 03/13/2026 - 08:00

The event will also broadcast on select iHeartMedia radio stations across the country at 11 p.m. local time

WHAT: The 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards will take place on Monday, March 16 at ACL Live at the Moody Theater in Austin, TX and air live and free-to-view on streaming platform, VEEPS. The event will span all genres of podcasts including Comedy, Crime, Sports, News, Business, Pop Culture, Food and more, with winners in each category determined by a panel of industry leaders, creatives and visionaries. Today, iHeartMedia reveals its list of presenters.

WHO: Actress, comedian and host of the “Thanks Dad” podcast, Ego Nwodim, will emcee this year’s iHeartPodcast Awards, actor and comedian Will Ferrell will open the show and Holly Frey, host of “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” will be the winners correspondent. The event will also feature in-show music from DJ Obscene.

Presenters for the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards will include Clayton Echard, Eric Andre, Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo, Iliza Schlesinger, Jennie Garth, Jonathan Goldstein, Juju Green, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, Lele Pons, Rider Strong and others as well as TikTok creators Caroline Vazzana, Clifford Taylor IV and Tim Martin.

Special guests will include Andrea Gunning, Chris Wylde, DJ Dramos, Elyse Myers, Laurie Santos and an array of nominees.

The event will once again be open to select SXSW badge holders. A full list of the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards categories and nominees can be found here.

WHEN: Monday, March 16, 2026, at 7 p.m. CT

WHERE: ACL Live at the Moody Theater (310 W Willie Nelson Blvd, Austin, TX 78701)

Streaming live exclusively on VEEPS at veeps.events/iheartpodcastawards.

The event will also broadcast on select iHeartMedia radio stations at 11p.m. local time and available on the iHeartRadio app.

MORE: Executive producers for the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards are John Sykes, Tom Poleman, Conal Byrne and Bart Peters for iHeartMedia.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards include Audible, Avocados from Mexico, Gatorade Lower Sugar and She Rises Studios. For more information visit here.

“Drink Champs,” “Keep It Positive, Sweetie” and “Reality With The King” Join the Lineup for the Fourth Annual Black Effect Podcast Festival Presented by State Farm on April 25 at Pullman Yards in Atlanta

iHeartMedia — Thu, 03/12/2026 - 08:00

The festival’s highly anticipated and thought-provoking panel discussions will feature today’s top voices in tech, finance and entertainment including Tika Sumpter, KevOnStage, Cliff Worley, Carla Wilmaris, Bridget Todd, Carlos King, Ian Dunlap and more

Tickets are available now at blackeffect.com/podcastfestival

WHAT: iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s Black Effect Podcast Network today announced that hit shows “Drink Champs,” “Keep it Positive, Sweetie,” hosted by Crystal Renee Hayslett from Tyler Perry’s Sistas and “Reality with the King” will join the lineup for the Fourth Annual Black Effect Podcast Festival Presented by State Farm at Pullman Yards in Atlanta on April 25.

WHO: Hosted by Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy of The Breakfast Club with Loren LoRosa, the fourth annual festival will feature live podcast tapings from “The Don't Call Me White Girl Show,” “Club 520 Podcast,”“Grits and Eggs Podcast,” “Reality With The King,” “Keep It Positive, Sweetie,” hosted by Crystal Renee Hayslett from Tyler Perry’s Sistas and “Drink Champs.” The day-long event will also feature thought-provoking and informative panel discussions including “AI: The Evolution and The Future,” “Audio and Media Development,” featuring top voices in tech, finance and entertainment including Tika Sumpter, KevOnStage, Cliff Worley, Carla Wilmaris, Bridget Todd, Carlos King and more and more.

WHEN: Saturday, April 25 at 11am

WHERE: Pullman Yards - 225 Rogers St NE, Atlanta, GA 30317

MORE: Tickets are now available at blackeffect.com/podcastfestival

The event will also feature engaging activities for attendees including the wildly popular Pitch Your Podcast Booth and The Black Effect Marketplace, powered by Shopify, showcasing merchandise from Black-owned businesses, local food trucks and more.

The Black Effect Podcast Festival is presented by State Farm.

The Black Effect Podcast Network is the leading platform for Black creators to raise their voices and be heard in the podcast space. It brings together the most influential and trusted voices in black culture for stimulating conversations around social justice, pop culture, sports, mental health, news, comedy and more. Launched in September 2020, The Black Effect Podcast Network has since debuted 60+ shows, with 47 live shows featuring a luminous roster of marquee talent and culture-shifting voices committed to enlightening, educating and entertaining audiences, curated by Charlamagne Tha God himself.

About The Black Effect Podcast Network

The Black Effect Podcast Network is a transformative network founded by renowned cultural architect, executive producer, bestselling author, and media mogul Charlamagne Tha God in a historic joint venture with the world’s number one commercial podcast publisher, iHeartMedia. Charlamagne and iHeartMedia created the groundbreaking first-ever Black Effect Podcast Network, celebrating the essential Black culture-shapers on the planet—in education, entertainment, politics, pop culture, and sports. The Black Effect Podcast Network gives rise to emerging and established content creators and storytellers whose perspectives and creative visions have been marginalized and overlooked while serving an audience that has been underserved. The Black Effect Podcast Network helps its partners define their place in podcast culture through influence, ideas, and experiences that engage, inspire, inform, and empower.

iHeartMedia and TikTok Announce the Launch of TikTok Radio and the Inaugural Line-Up of Creator-Hosts for the TikTok Podcast Network

iHeartMedia — Thu, 03/12/2026 - 08:00

Kicking off Live at SXSW on March 13, TikTok Radio from iHeart will be available on the iHeartRadio app and across 28 broadcast stations throughout the country, including New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, Miami and more

Launch also spotlights the first wave of TikTok creators from the TikTok Podcast Network slate

New York, NY – March 12, 2026 – iHeartMedia and TikTok today announced the launch of TikTok Radio from iHeart, featuring the biggest music hits on the radio combined with the creators, trends, music and cultural moments on TikTok that are driving what’s next – all in one place. The fast-paced station is launching tomorrow, March 13, on the free iHeartRadio app and on 28 broadcast stations across the country in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, Miami and more.

Introducing TikTok Radio from iHeart

TikTok is the go-to platform where culture, entertainment and music collide and iHeart will extend that experience beyond the For You Feed with TikTok Radio. The new station will blend TikTok’s discovery engine and cultural impact with iHeart’s programming expertise and trusted personalities to give fans a new way to listen to their favorite artists' full tracks while diving deeper into the stories, trends and moments that turned them into a cultural phenomenon.

The audio programming blends today’s hottest music with real-time conversation, guiding listeners through what’s breaking now – from rising creators to new hits, throwback rediscoveries, podcast spotlights and trending topics. TikTok Radio will feature the following signature segments:

Behind-the-Charts – A countdown of the 10 biggest songs of the week on TikTok, looking at the story and artist behind the music.
Hacks on the :20s – Trending life hacks for every area of your life, heard every hour on the :20s.
Hot Takes -– Lighthearted hot takes about everyday topics in lifestyle and culture.
New Music Fridays – A highlight of the week's new releases, airing throughout the day on Fridays.
On The Verge – Featured music from artists On the Verge of breaking into the charts.

TikTok Radio from iHeart goes live for the first time on March 13 from the iHeartPodcasts Hotel at SXSW, broadcasting from Austin with a rotating lineup of iHeart and TikTok creators behind the mic. Live from the booth at the iHeartPodcasts Hotel, the broadcast will blend onsite interviews, surprise segments and real time crowd reactions from SXSW, transforming the space into an IRL For You Feed powered by the new station. Content captured throughout the event will be featured across iHeart channels, creator platforms and brand partners.

The station’s regularly featured host line-up will include iHeart personalities like:

Kayla Thomas @kayla_thomas40 (102.7 KIIS FM LA) 12 – 5 a.m.
Ashlee Young @ashleeonair (Houston) 5 – 10 a.m.
Jon Comouche @comouche (104.3 MYfm LA) 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Becky Mits @beckymits (Star 94.1 San Diego) 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Angelina Narvaez @angelinaonair (Wild 94.9 San Francisco) 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

The station kicks off live at SXSW at 9 p.m. CT, with TikTok creators stopping by throughout the weekend, including Grace Wells (@gracewellsphoto), Madison Tevlin (@madisontevlin), Eric Sedeño (@ricotaquito), Bree Stephens (@thewatchedlist) and more.

Listeners can follow @tiktokradio on TikTok for updates to the lineup later this month.

“We couldn’t be more excited to launch TikTok Radio and introduce our inaugural slate of hosts for the TikTok Podcast Network,” said Dan Page, Global Head of Media and Licensing Partnerships, TikTok. “At TikTok, empowering creators to turn their passions into lasting careers is core to everything we do, and this partnership unlocks powerful new opportunities for them to expand their voices across radio, podcasts and live moments, while connecting with fans in new ways.”

Meet the First Creators Leading the TikTok Podcast Network

As part of today’s announcement, iHeartMedia and TikTok are also revealing the first wave of TikTok creators from the TikTok Podcast Network slate. These podcasts will be launching in the coming months:

Suite 305 with Lele Pons – Hosted by multihyphenate and social media star Lele Pons (@lelepons) listeners will step into the world’s most unfiltered slumber party. Suite 305 is where the people who shape culture finally get to be themselves.
Caroline’s Closet – Hosted by fashion editor, author and personality Caroline Vazzana (@cvazzana), Caroline is drawing back the curtain on the fashion industry and giving listeners a front row seat.
Sports Slice – Hosted by Tim Martin (@timbosliceoflife12), Sports Slice is where the biggest stories in sports get cut down and served with loud takes, real conversations, and absolutely no safe picks.
The Clifford Show – Hosted by former college football player turned viral sports creator Clifford Taylor IV (@clifford), The Clifford Show is your VIP pass to the hustle and grind of making it in sports and in media.
The Set List with Carter Gregory – Hosted by media personality, music executive, host and cultural tastemaker Carter Gregory (@thecarterb), The Set List takes listeners into the backstage spaces where culture is being created for intimate conversations with top artists and creatives, giving fans new insight into the creative DNA behind their work.

TikTok is a place where audiences come to discover voices, ideas and stories they love. This partnership is the next step in TikTok's commitment to actively invest in creators who are raising the bar and creating high-quality content, including formats like podcasts, and unlocking new opportunities that extend on and off platform.

These creators – along with clips, highlights and behind-the-scenes moments from their new podcasts – will also be featured prominently across TikTok Radio beginning March 13 at SXSW, giving listeners new ways to discover and engage with their favorite voices.

The TikTok Podcast Network will launch in partnership with GEICO as the network's exclusive launch partner, marking a new opportunity for brands to connect with audiences through creator-led podcast content.

“This next chapter of our multiplatform partnership with TikTok unlocks the full power of both ecosystems – creators, broadcast radio, podcasts, live moments and social – all working together in real time,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “This station is built to feel like a living, breathing For You Feed– a place where creators, music fans and our on-air talent collide in real time to shape what’s next in culture. From live broadcasts at SXSW to creator-led podcasts and trend driven radio programming, we’re merging the best of our platforms to amplify creators, elevate emerging voices and deliver fans a 360 degree experience across audio, video and live moments.”

Additional details about the TikTok Podcast Network – including expanded show concepts, premiere dates, trailers and future creator announcements – will be shared in the coming months. As the partnership continues to evolve, TikTok and iHeartMedia remain focused on building new opportunities for creators to extend their voices across audio, video and live experiences, while giving fans even more ways to discover and connect with the culture they love.

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and its offices include New York, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul and Tokyo.