VH1 + REPUBLIC RECORDS ANNOUNCE JUDGES + MENTORS FOR "MAKE A BAND FAMOUS"

Judges Include: International Pop Star Natasha Bedingfield, Musical Director/Producer Adam Blackstone, YouTube Music Star Kurt Hugo Schneider, and Indie Artist/Composer Robert Schwartzman

Mentors Include: Gym Class Heroes Lead Singer/Rapper Travie McCoy, Daughtry Frontman Chris Daughtry, and Songwriter/Producer/Solo Artist Bonnie McKee

Additional Appearances By: Benji and Joel Madden, Ed Sheeran, Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump and Pete Wentz, and Colbie Caillat

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

24-Hour Livestream Starts Wednesday, June 11 at 8PM ET at MakeABandFamous.VH1.com + the VH1 App

NEW YORK (June 10, 2014) -VH1 and Republic Records today announced the celebrity judges and mentors for its 24-hour livestream competition "Make A Band Famous." The unprecedented event, hosted by The All-American Rejects frontman Tyson Ritter, will be live streamed from Liberty Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York starting Wednesday, June 11 at 8PM ET/5PM PT at MakeABandFamous.VH1.com and in the VH1 App.

The celebrity judges who will provide critiques and commentary for every challenge during the entire 24-hour event include: international pop star and Grammy Award-nominee Natasha Bedingfield; musical director to Justin Timberlake, Pharrell and Maroon 5, Adam Blackstone; YouTube singer/producer with over 4.2 million subscribers, Kurt Hugo Schneider; and west coast indie artist, record producer, and composer of the new feature film "Palo Alto," Robert Schwartzman.

The celebrity mentors who will guide and coach bands in specific challenges during the event include: Gym Class Heroes Lead Singer/Rapper Travie McCoy; frontman of the Grammy-nominated band Daughtry, Chris Daughtry; and prolific songwriter/singer who co-wrote Katy Perry's "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," and "Roar," Bonnie McKee. There will be additional guest appearances from: Benji and Joel Madden, Ed Sheeran, Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump and Pete Wentz, and Colbie Caillat.

On May 1, VH1 and Republic Records invited unsigned music acts to upload a 15-second clip of one of their original, unpublished songs to Instagram with the hashtag #MABF. Fans then had the chance to cast their votes via social media and push their favorite acts closer to Brooklyn and after an overwhelming number of submissions, the final field has been narrowed down to 24 bands, whose performance submissions can be viewed at MakeABandFamous.VH1.com. The last band standing will play a live showcase at Brooklyn's Northside Festival, receive the support of an extended multi-platform "VH1 You Oughta Know" program and sign with Republic Records.

"Make a Band Famous" also offers a unique viewing experience to its audience, where viewers will be exposed to an uncensored, uncut livestream from multiple cameras that will stream simultaneously. The viewer will have access to performances, interviews, the green room, the judges' opinions and the groups' anxiety as they compete for their big break. In addition to the livestream, "Make A Band Famous" will be heavily pumped out throughout the day on VH1's television lineup and its social platforms. All 24 hours will be raw, uncut and uncensored on MakeABandFamous.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. For art/show logos and all press materials, visit the "Make a Band Famous" press page.

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.

For more information, go to www.republicrecords.com or visit the Republic Records Facebook page. Follow us on Twitter @RepublicRecords.

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.