iHeartMedia Announces Music-First Podcast Franchise “Song Stories,” Sharing Incredible Behind-The-Scenes Stories Directly From The Biggest Names in Music

“Song Stories” hands the mic to FINNEAS allowing fans to hear directly from chart-topping performers

Listen to the official trailer HERE

Download the logo HERE

NEW YORK – July 13, 2022 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 audio company in America and the No. 1 podcast publisher globally as per Podtrac, today announced “Song Stories,” a groundbreaking artist-led, music-first iHeartRadio podcast. Hosted by Jordan Runtagh, Writer, and Executive Podcast Producer at iHeartRadio, the new franchise will allow game-changing, chart-topping musicians to tell the incredible backstories of their songwriting process, production collaborations and eye-popping live tours in a way that audiences have never heard before. The first episode of “Song Stories” debuts July 20,2022, with new episodes launching every Wednesday on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

“Music is the lifeblood of iHeartRadio, and we pride ourselves in connecting fans to the artists and music they love in a way that creates immersive, unforgettable experiences,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group. “The extremely personal process of creating new music, putting it down on ‘tape’ and then touring the world with it is in-and-of itself a story that fans want to hear – and ‘Song Stories’ will do just that in podcast form, amplifying those stories even more through iHeartRadio’s massive broadcast, digital and social reach.”

The inaugural season will feature FINNEAS, who went from teenage musician and producer to Academy and multi-GRAMMY award winning powerhouse producer, and critically acclaimed solo artist. He will share an inside look into the creation of his debut LP ‘Optimist,’ an album shaped largely by the events of 2020. In quick succession, upcoming seasons of “Song Stories” will feature a new artist with each dedicated season chronicling the creation of their newest album and the tour that follows. These backstories will often start far upstream, tracking an artist’s journey from the very beginnings of the creative songwriting process, all the way through to performing those songs live for fans around the world. “Song Stories” other featured artists to be announced soon.

“My connection with my fans is so important to me, and I’ve loved sharing my album with them,” said FINNEAS. “I’m so excited to team up with iHeartRadio to bring them into the intimate process of making the album through this podcast. It’s an important piece of me and I can’t wait for them to hear how it came together.”

iHeartMedia has been in the business of supporting and growing musicians’ relationships with their audiences from the beginning – through the power its nearly 900 broadcast radio stations across the country to recent podcasts like “Inside the Studio,” which has featured interviews with legends like Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Dave Matthews, Lenny Kravitz, Katy Perry, Saweetie, Bebe Rexha and more. “Song Stories” will take that to a new level, with deep access and storytelling like never before.

Song Stories” will be distributed by The iHeartPodcast Network.

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month. It consists of three business groups.

With its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. Its leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms, including more than 860 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets nationwide; its National Sales organization; and the company’s live and virtual events business. It also includes Premiere Networks, the industry’s largest Networks business, with its Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN); and BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service for the Black community. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners with its SmartAudio suite of data targeting and attribution products using data from its massive consumer base.

The iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group includes the company’s fast-growing podcasting business -- iHeartMedia is the number one podcast publisher in downloads, unique listeners, revenue and earnings -- as well as its industry-leading iHeartRadio digital service, available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices; the company’s digital sites, newsletters, digital services and programs; its digital advertising technology companies; and its audio industry-leading social media footprint.

The company’s Audio & Media Services reportable segment includes Katz Media Group, the nation’s largest media representation company, and RCS, the world's leading provider of broadcast and webcast software.

Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.