VH1 + Republic Records Partner to "Make a Band Famous" with 24 Hour Livestream Starting June 11th at 8 PM ET on VH1.com +the VH1 App

24 Bands Compete Over 24 Hours; Last Band Standing Will Sign with Republic Records + Receive Extended VH1 "You Oughta Know" Campaign

Open Call for Submissions of 15-Second Instagram Videos Starts Today at MakeABandFamous.VH1.com

All-American Rejects Lead Singer + Bassist Tyson Ritter to Host

NEW YORK (May 1, 2014) - VH1 and Universal Music Group's Republic Records are partnering in a search to "Make A Band Famous" via an unprecedented 24-hour livestream event from Brooklyn, New York starting June 11th at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on VH1.com and the VH1 App. The entire 24-hour livestream will be hosted by All-American Rejects frontman Tyson Ritter.

Starting today, VH1 and Republic Records are calling out to all unsigned musical acts to submit a 15-second video clip of an original, unpublished song on Instagram using the hashtag #MABF as well as the band's name with a hashtag (#YourBandName). All entries will be accepted until Thursday, May 15th and all entries will be viewable at MakeABandFamous.VH1.com and MABF.VH1.com.

Fueled by "people power", fans will have the chance to vote via social media, hashtagging their favorite band's name plus #MABF and pushing their favorite acts closer to Brooklyn. Fan votes will be weighed equally with a review process by VH1 and Republic Records talent teams. On June 5th all entries will be whittled to 24 finalists who will make their way to NYC on June 11th, 24 hours later, one band will emerge victorious. What's on the line for these unsigned acts? Signing with Republic Records, a live showcase at Brooklyn's Northside Festival, and the support of an extended multi-platform "VH1 You Oughta Know" program. It's the chance-of-a-lifetime for a band to sign with Republic Records as the label enjoyed Nielsen Soundscan's #1 Market Share in 2014 and continues to grow exponentially with a specialty for breaking new artists.

Throughout the 24 hours, these 24 bands will face bold challenges: artists will learn a cover song in a hour, reimagine a classic hit with toy instruments, busk for money and fans in Williamsburg and so much more. During the livestream event, our panel of experts and viewers at home will cast their votes on Twitter, Facebook and VH1.com, to vote on what bands will move on from each challenge. Hour by hour, more and more groups will be eliminated until one band is crowned the winner of "Make A Band Famous."

"Supporting emerging artists is a big priority at VH1, most notably through our hugely successful 'You Oughta Know' initiative," said Lee Rolontz, Executive Vice President, Music Production, VH1. "But this year, we are really taking that a step further, partnering with the amazing team at Republic, with its astounding roster of artists, to really search and find an unsigned act to break using Republic's expertise and our extended 'You Oughta Know' treatment."

"We are thrilled to partner with VH1 and the industry's most consistent artist breaking platform, 'You Oughta Know,'" said Charlie Walk, Executive Vice President, Republic Records. "Its stamp on "Make A Band Famous" will magnify the winning talent and allow them the best opportunity for success."

"Make A Band Famous" also gives viewers the power to dictate the experience for themselves. This is not standard Reality TV where viewers watch a performance then text to vote. Multiple cameras will broadcast simultaneous streams for the entirety of the 24 hours, allowing viewers access to performances, interviews, behind the scenes panic and green room access. Viewers will hear everything the judges say - uncut and uncensored. In addition to the livestream, "Make A Band Famous" will have linear cut-ins and check-ins throughout the day during VH1's lineup, and will play out heavily across VH1's social platforms, making the "Make A Band Famous" experience available across all screens and platforms. All 24 hours will be raw, uncut and uncensored on VH1.com and the VH1 App starting Wednesday, June 11th at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.

For more information on Make A Band Famous, visit MakeABandFamous.VH1.com

About VH1:

VH1 delivers the ultimate mash-up of music, pop culture and nostalgia for adults who still want to have fun. VH1 is available in 99 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1.com and @VH1, the hub for all things music and pop culture. Fans may also access current and retro VH1 programming via the authenticated VH1 App, the network's three-in-one video, new format content and co-viewing app, available for download free on iPhone, iPad and Android. VH1 is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.

ABOUT REPUBLIC RECORDS:

A division of Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, Republic is home to an all-star roster of multi-platinum, award-winning legends and superstar artists such as 3 Doors Down, Amy Winehouse, Black Sabbath, Colbie Caillat, Eddie Vedder, Enrique Iglesias, Florence + the Machine, Godsmack, Owl City, The Voice (NBC-TV), Gotye, Of Monsters & Men, Mayer Hawthorne, among many others.

It is comprised of innovative imprints and digital business ventures including Republic Nashville (The Band Perry), Cash Money (Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj), Indie Pop (The Cataracs), Lava Records (Jessie J, Black Veil Brides), Brushfire (Jack Johnson, G. Love), XO (The Weeknd), Loma Vista (Soundgarden, Damian Marley) among others.

About VH1's "You Oughta Know"

Since its launch in 2005, VH1's "You Oughta Know" franchise has introduced promising new artists on the rise and served as a barometer for what and who's hot in music today. Many "You Oughta Know" artists have gone on to win industry awards and accolades including "Best New Artist" Grammy Awards and nominations. This highly acclaimed franchise has helped break artists such as Adele, Ed Sheeran, Foster the People, Gotye, The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, The Civil Wars and many, many more.