Cumulus Extends "Next" Competition To Rock

Warning: rock’s popularity is on the rise again, and what better way to discover the nation’s newest rock star than a national and local grassroots search led by Cumulus Media. Kicking off today, Cumulus’ neXt2rock 2017 competition pays tribute to the great tradition of radio as a launch pad for our favorite musical talent and celebrates rock music in all its irreverent, loud, poetic and powerful formats.

Cumulus is home to some of radio’s most iconic rock stations, including KLOS, KQRS, WLUP, KATT, WGRF and KSAN --- all of which were recently included in Radio Ink's list of the Greatest AOR Stations of All Time.

The neXt2rock 2017 contest is being announced on-air by iconic Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, with the winner of this four-month-long competition receiving a record deal with Big Machine/John Varvatos Records, as well as substantial exposure, commensurate with a major label release, on Cumulus radio stations nationwide.

neXt2rock 2017 is Cumulus Media’s second installment of its “Next” franchise, which was launched last year with NASH Next, the successful country version of the competition. While television boasts several talent competitions, only the “Next” franchise contests offer its winners coveted radio play, which is the most effective medium to cultivate an artist and propel a major music career.

Mary Berner

Sixty-one Cumulus stations in 47 markets, including Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Minneapolis, will conduct local grassroot searches, with additional national participation made possible by Cumulus’ digital properties and syndicated rock shows. 

“By launching neXt2rock under Cumulus Media’s “Next” franchise, we are putting a stake in the ground to support the next generation of music talent, further signaling to listeners, advertisers and business partners that Cumulus is invested in the future of music and radio,” said Mary Berner, CEO and President, Cumulus Media. She added, “With the renewed interest in the rock genre among Millennials and Gen Xers, Cumulus has even more opportunities for growth, providing expanded exclusive content and programming for fans, and an even larger audience for America’s newest rock star.”

Emerging artists will first be rated by Cumulus listeners and judged by local music industry professionals in their communities. Finalists, and the 2017 winner, will be selected by a panel of music luminaries, including Gavin Rossdale, Scott Borchetta, founder, president and CEO of Big Machine Label Group, the world’s #1 independent record label, famed music producer Bob Ezrin (Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, and Phish), Songwriters Hall Of Famer Desmond Child (Kiss, Cher, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Ricky Martin, Kelly Clarkson, and Selena Gomez), and legendary rock guitarist Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols.

Beginning today, local artists may enter the competition via participating local station websites (see full station list at next2rock.com).