CMJ Festival looks set to return later this year
The CMJ Music Marathon looks set to return later this year after the CMJ brand was bought by Amazing Radio.
CMJ, which began as the magazine College Media Journal in the 1970s before changing its name to College Music Journal, became renowned for its annual music conference and new music showcase which was staged in New York. The last edition of the multi-venue festival was held in 2015.
British radio service Amazing Radio, which champions new and emerging artists, are now looking to relaunch CMJ and its accompanying festival after buying the CMJ brand. They’re also aiming to tie in CMJ’s return with the launch of an American version of Amazing Radio later in the year.
Amazing Radio are hoping to revive the CMJ Music Marathon in New York in the autumn, although plans for that relaunch may be affected if the coronavirus outbreak is still ongoing by then.
Amazing Radio’s merger with CMJ incorporates its online streams and virtual concert components, which have been designed to help those musicians who are suffering from lost revenue during the coronavirus crisis.
Artists can upload their music to amazingradio.us, where they can receive station streams and money from fan pledges — they’ll also receive 100% of any proceeds they make.
“We plan to breathe new life into CMJ — and revive its influence and presence for the benefit of musicians and music,” Amazing Radio founder Paul Campbell said in a press release. “Its heritage is immense — but we intend to make sure CMJ’s best days are ahead of it, by combining it with Amazing Radio.”
Chairman and Enigma Records co-founder Bill Hein said that they’re “still planning to bring CMJ back to New York in October, come hell or Coronavirus. But we’re here to help musicians, now, anyway.”
“This is a revolution for American emerging artists; the opportunity to be played on the radio, increase their popularity through listener engagement, have the chance to play CMJ and grow their careers, all backed up by audience support and exert advice,” he added.
