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Garth Brooks, who launched his own Sevens Radio Network through streaming platform TuneIn in June, announced the second station under his umbrella today: Tailgate Radio, which will blend music and sports.
Hosted by sports commentator and producer Maria Taylor, Tailgate Radio’s launch is timed to the start of the 2023 college football season. While the station will not air the games — TuneIn provides access to live play-by-play from more than 100 Division 1 colleges and universities on other channels — Tailgate Radio will provide pre- and post-game entertainment for sports fans.
“This is one of those ideas someone says, ‘Why didn’t we do this a long time ago?’” Brooks said in a statement. “This combines everyone’s passion for sports and music. It also allows you to enjoy your tailgate, barbeque or poolside party without doing the work. There’s so much music on this channel, Tailgate Radio will be everyone’s favorite.”
Tailgate Radio, which will air 24/7, is kicking off with specific programming including Tailgate Top 20 with Maria, a weekly countdown hosted by Taylor that will highlight the 20 biggest songs across all genres from a specific year as well as tying them in with the biggest sports stories from that year. Elsewhere, Block Party will be a Saturday night four-hour mixshow featuring contemporary music from artists ranging from Luke Combs to Beyonce to Eminem. And Tailgate Takeover will feature celebrities, artists and athletes as guest hosts, allowing them to talk about the music and playlists that help them set their favorite vibe; Brooks will host the first edition.
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Taylor and Brooks previously partnered on her middle school mentoring program for girls, PowHER, which linked with his foundation, Teammates for Kids. “Working closely with Garth and his foundation as we created the PowHER program has been nothing short of amazing,” Taylor said in a statement. “And now, we are embarking on Garth’s extraordinary vision to connect sports and music fans with Tailgate. It’s such an honor to be chosen by greatness to be a partner in the radio space.”
In June, Brooks bowed Sevens Radio with country music channel The Big 615. At the time, he noted that Sevens Radio would, appropriately enough, eventually offer a suite of seven stations. At the press conference for The Big 615, Brooks also stressed the appeal of TuneIn’s international aspect, saying the global reach was his “favorite thing” because it allowed the station to present undiluted country music: “If we go across the water, they ask you immediately to take the [pedal] steel and fiddles off your country music. Ain’t going to happen here.”
TuneIn claims more than 75 million monthly listeners across more than 100,000 stations. Its sports partners include the NFL International, MLB, NHL, NASCAR (Motor Racing Network & Performance Racing Network), Formula 1, IndyCar Radio, US Open, talkSPORT, ESPN Radio and college sports partners (Westwood One, Learfield, Playfly Sports, JMI Sports, Van Wagner and Clemson Athletic Properties).
Several months after shutting down his SiriusXM station, Garth Brooks has found a new radio home.
Starting this summer, Brooks will launch SEVENS Radio Network through TuneIn, the free livestreaming audio platform with more than 75 million monthly active users and distribution across 200 platforms and connected devices.
SEVENS Radio will include multiple stations dedicated to country music and more, all curated and conceived by Brooks. “I’m excited about the future of TuneIn and feel lucky to announce a partnership with them,” said Brooks in a statement. “The thought of a global network of stations uniting all music fans is something I want to be a part of. The possibilities are bigger than I can dream.”
TuneIn already boasts more than 100,000 stations, accessible by downloading the TuneIn app for Android or iOS, via tunein.com or through smart speakers. Ad-supported content is available for free; listeners can also choose a commercial-free premium service.
“Garth Brooks is a tireless entrepreneur and one of the most recognizable stars in the world. When he shared his vision for SEVENS Radio, we knew TuneIn should be his home,” said TuneIn CEO Rich Stern. “At TuneIn, we believe in the power of radio and those artists who are passionate about it. Garth and the entire SEVENS team are creating something we believe fans will love and we’re so proud to have them on TuneIn.”
Brooks, the top-selling solo artist in the United States with more than 156 million domestic albums sold, according to the RIAA, comes to TuneIn after six years spent helming the 24/7 Garth Channel on SiriusXM, which ceased airing on September 30.
SEVENS will fill and expand the void left by the end of the Garth Channel, which had served as a community hub for Brooks and his fans since its launch in 2016. The singer frequently appeared on the channel, sharing his experiences with the artists the outlet played, while the station offered fun bits of Brooks trivia. The Garth Channel featured Brooks’ music roughly 25% of the time, with the rest of the airplay dedicated to artists he liked, including acts he grew up on, his contemporaries and newer performers.
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