MGM+ Greenlights "Words + Music," Inspired by the Critically Hailed Audible Original Series, Featuring Grammy Winners Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, John Legend and Alanis Morissette

Visually Dynamic Docuseries from Producers Gunpowder & Sky and Audible Set to Debut this Fall

CULVER CITY, California - August 28, 2025 - Today, premium linear channel and streaming service MGM+ announced the greenlight of the docuseries Words + Music, a new music docuseries from Gunpowder & Sky and Audible, based on Audible's acclaimed audio series of the same name. The series will premiere on November 30th, and feature member of the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame Elvis Costello, nine-time Grammy winner Sheryl Crow, 13-time Grammy winner John Legend, and seven-time Grammy winner Alanis Morissette. Words + Music is set to premiere this fall on MGM+ in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Words + Music will feature iconic artists sharing stories about songs pivotal to their careers, followed by all-new performances of those songs either solo or with a band. The innovative visual adaptation will be shot on Amazon MGM Studio's volume stage, an immersive video environment, allowing the creation of dynamic visual narratives that complement each artist's storytelling. As the artists' stories unfold, the environment around them will transform to reflect each anecdote and song, creating an intimate yet visually stunning experience.

Filming on Culver Studios' cutting-edge Stage 15, Words + Music features a 79' x 80' LED volume with a 26-foot ceiling and a 74-foot scenic deck, an immersive virtual production environment powered by 105 motion capture cameras and state-of-the-art ROE BP2 LED panels.

"Musicians express what we mere mortals think and feel, but they do it better... .and with a melody," said Van Toffler, CEO of Gunpowder & Sky. "Adapting Words + Music for a visual medium gave our studio, and our producing partners Alex Coletti and Bill Flanagan, an incredible opportunity to merge lyrics, music, performance and visual art. The result is something as intimate as a backstage confession and as cinematic as a feature film. These aren't just stories about iconic songs - they're portraits of how those songs, and the artists behind them came to be."

"Words + Music is a uniquely engaging blend of iconic music and intimate storytelling from the legendary artists who lived it. It's the next evolution of the high-quality music-focused MGM+ documentaries that our audience has come to expect," said Michael Wright, Head of MGM+. "We are fortunate to have been able to collaborate with Audible, whose pioneering Words + Music format was so compelling that we had to bring it to television, and music storytelling visionary Van Toffler and his studio, Gunpowder & Sky."

"Words + Music has struck a chord with listeners, and this evolution of Audible's groundbreaking format within the Amazon ecosystem bridges audio and visual storytelling, creating a captivating new experience for musicians and fans alike," said Rachel Ghiazza, Chief Content Officer, Audible. "This collaboration underscores Audible's ongoing commitment to the strategic expansion of our IP headed by Jackie Levine, leveraging our extraordinary content to connect with audiences in fresh, meaningful ways."

Audible's Words + Music audio series fuses music and storytelling in an unprecedented way, allowing artists to express themselves and connect with listeners like never before. With more than 40 installments, Audible's Words + Music slate boasts an extensive roster of iconic musicians including Usher, Mariah Carey, Pete Townshend, Snoop Dogg, Eddie Vedder, Yo-Yo Ma, James Taylor, Sting, Chuck D, Brandy, George Clinton, and more. For more information on Words + Music, please visit www.audible.com/ep/words+music.

The series is produced by Gunpowder & Sky and Audible.

Words + Music will debut as part of an overall deal between Audible and Amazon MGM Studios to develop multiple projects inspired by Audible's expansive content library, led by Audible's Head of TV and Film, Jackie Levine. Most recently, MGM+ also acquired best-selling author Michael Connelly's The Wonderland Murders & the Secret History of Hollywood, based on the hit Audible podcast of the same name which explores the infamous Wonderland murder case in 1980s Los Angeles.

About Elvis Costello

Born in London and raised there and in Liverpool, D.P. MacManus later came to be known as "Elvis Costello," a writer and part-time musician who made a number of records in the 20th century, some of which are still remembered today. He has been performing in public for over fifty years. Starting out in 1977 with his band The Attractions, he has played for the last 23 years with The Imposters. Making his debut in 1977 with the Stiff Records release My Aim Is True, Costello's recording catalogue now runs to more than thirty-five titles, including Get Happy, Imperial Bedroom, King of America, All This Useless Beauty, North, National Ransom, Wise Up Ghost with The Roots, Hey Clockface, and his most recent album with The Imposters, The Boy Named If.

Costello is a two-time Grammy winner: for "I Still Have That Other Girl" with Burt Bacharach from their album Painted from Memory, and for the album Look Now, produced with Sebastian Krys. He is a member of both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the author of the memoir "Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink".

About Sheryl Crow

Songwriter. Activist. Rock star. Woman. Champion. Mother. Nine-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sheryl Crow is many things, but at the core, she remains a creative spirit channeling her talents into music that lifts people up, brings them together, and speaks to the truths on the horizon. Twenty-five years after winning her first Grammy, as well as Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "All I Wanna Do," the Kennett, Missouri-born guitarist/vocalist/creative thought about all she'd done, the places she'd been, the lives that'd touched hers - and saw the rich tapestry her journey had become. Crow's is a career beyond dreams, with songs that defined the third wave of feminism, a rockist's ability to sweep the pop charts without losing any edge and enough wide-open Midwestern joy to captivate the world. Crow was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. Her first nine studio albums have sold 35 million copies worldwide; seven charted in the Top 10, and five were certified for Multi-Platinum sales. Crow has been feted by a new generation of singer-songwriters who have covered her songs and talked about her influence, including Phoebe Bridgers, H.E.R, Haim, Maren Morris, Lorde, Sasami, Best Coast, and Brandi Carlile. In 2019, Crow released her critically acclaimed album THREADS via The Valory Music Co., a collection of collaborations made with and in tribute to artists with whom Crow has musical connections. And in turn, she seeks to inspire people through her music and songs, especially the younger generation. "The passion and ability of our young people to dig deep and express themselves energizes and encourages me endlessly," Crow says. "It thrills me to see their passion and will to change the world." In 2022, the full-length documentary film based on Crow's life and career, entitled Sheryl, premiered to critical acclaim at the SXSW Film Festival ahead of its network premiere on SHOWTIME. An intimate story of song and sacrifice, Sheryl navigates an iconic yet arduous musical career while the artist battles sexism, ageism, depression, cancer, and the price of fame, before harnessing the power of her gift. Crow released her 11th full-length studio album, Evolution, on March 29, 2024.

About John Legend

John Legend is an EGOT-winning, critically acclaimed, multiplatinum artist and producer who has garnered 13 Grammy(R) Awards, an Academy Award(R), a Golden Globe(R) Award, a Tony(R) Award and four Emmy(R) Awards, among others. Legend has released eleven albums over the course of his career: Get Lifted (2004), Once Again (2006), Evolver (2008), Wake Up! (with The Roots) (2010), Love in the Future (2013), Darkness and Light (2016), A Legendary Christmas (2018), Bigger Love (2020), LEGEND (2022), LEGEND (Solo Piano Version) (2023) and My Favorite Dream (2024).  After releasing the 20th anniversary digital deluxe version of his Grammy(R) -winning debut album, Get Lifted - featuring new remixes and collaborations with artists including Tems, Simi, Killer Mike, and Lil Wayne - Legend launched his "Get Lifted 20th Anniversary World Tour" in May and will kick off with the North American leg this August, bringing his acclaimed debut album back to the stage. Legend recently wrapped coaching Season 27 of NBC's The Voice and will return to the red chair for Season 29. Beyond music, Legend co-founded Get Lifted Film Co., a production company that has developed projects with major networks including ABC, NBC, FOX, HBO, Showtime, Netflix and FX, alongside partners Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius. Aside from film, TV and theater, Get Lifted has partnered with Zando to form Get Lifted Books, building upon Get Lifted Film Co.'s mission of spotlighting stories from dynamic creatives. In 2023, Legend launched Loved01, a luxurious and accessible unisex skincare brand. As an activist, Legend established FREEAMERICA in 2015 to transform the conversation surrounding criminal justice policies and end mass incarceration.

About Alanis Morissette

Since 1995, Alanis Morissette has been one of the most influential singer-songwriter-musicians in contemporary music. Her deeply expressive music and performances have earned vast critical praise and seven Grammy Awards. Morissette's 1995 album JAGGED LITTLE PILL was a tour de force that changed the sound of pop music around the world. It was followed by nine more eclectic and acclaimed albums. She has contributed musically to theatrical releases and has acted on the big and small screen. Outside of entertainment, she is an avid activist and advocate, focusing on female empowerment as well as spiritual, psychological and physical wholeness. In 2016, Alanis launched Conversation with Alanis Morissette, a monthly podcast that features conversations with a variety of revered thought leaders, authors, doctors, educators, and therapists, covering a wide range of psychosocial topics extending from spirituality to developmentalism to art. In 2019, JAGGED LITTLE PILL: THE MUSICAL made its Broadway debut at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City, and was subsequently nominated for fifteen Tony Awards. In 2020, Alanis released her ninth studio album, Such Pretty Forks In The Road, to rave reviews; it was followed by a meditation album called The Storm Before The Calm in 2022. Following the pandemic, Alanis made a triumphant return to the road, with massive, sold out arena tours in America, Canada, Europe, South America and Asia. In October, she'll embark on a two-week, eight-date engagement at The Colosseum at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, marking her first residency.

About Audible, Inc.

Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering global audiences a powerful way to enhance and enrich their lives through extraordinary content. Audible's catalog includes more than 1,000,000 audio titles, including Audible Originals as well as audiobooks and podcasts from leading studios, print, audio and magazine publishers and world-renowned entertainers.

About Gunpowder and Sky

Gunpowder & Sky is an independent studio specializing in the development and production of award-winning film, television, audio, live, and experiential events.

Founded in 2016 by Van Toffler and Floris Bauer, Gunpowder & Sky has released more than 70 feature films and series, and is currently in production on a range of music-driven projects, including the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) through its multi-year deal, the MGM+ docuseries Words + Music, as well as documentaries on Jessica Simpson, Jim Morrison, and Myspace.

Notable projects include the CBS concert special Ringo & Friends At The Ryman; Dolly Parton's Pet Gala; the critically acclaimed documentary Sheryl; the Emmy-nominated The Notorious B.I.G. Sky's the Limit: A VR Concert Experience; the Sabrina Carpenter: A VR Concert; and the docuseries Sometimes When We Touch, chronicling the rise and legacy of soft rock. Additional credits include 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez; Lil Peep - Everybody's Everything; and the three-part hair metal documentary series I Wanna Rock: The '80s Metal Dream.

The company's slate also spans original audio series like Lighters in the Sky and Shelved; the Words + Music series featuring iconic artists such as Beck, Eddie Vedder, Pete Townshend, Billie Joe Armstrong, Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent, Alanis Morissette, and Gary Clark Jr.; and multiple immersive VR experiences produced in collaboration with Meta.

Gunpowder & Sky has offices in Los Angeles and New York.

About MGM+:

MGM+, an Amazon company, is a premium linear channel and streaming service delivering a broad lineup of exclusive original series and docuseries, current movie releases, and classic film franchises - all available in the U.S. on TV, on-demand, online, and across devices. MGM+ is a destination for premium content, with original series including sci-fi horror series FROM, Emmy-winning Godfather of Harlem, the Western adventure Billy the Kid, horror thriller The Institute, and the upcoming romantic adventure Robin Hood, along with cinematic dramatic series Rogue Heroes, Belgravia, and War of the Worlds. The network is also the home of acclaimed docuseries, including the critically acclaimed In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, Emmy-nominated Laurel Canyon, My Life as a Rolling Stone, NFL Icons, Hollywood Black, and The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood. Premium movies are also available, including Gladiator II, Nickel Boys, Blink Twice, Challengers, IF, Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning, The Beekeeper, American Fiction, and Mean Girls.

MGM+ is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite, digital distribution channels and the MGM+ app. For more information about the current MGM+ lineup, go to www.mgmplus.com or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.