MTV remembers music exists, launches a 24-hour online music festival featuring Gavin Degraw, Questlove, and Hanson
MTV may be busy filling you in on pregnant teens, Snooki, and catfishing scams, but the network hasn’t forgotten about music altogether. The channel that once actually showcased music on television is teaming up with its sister networks, VH1 and CMT, along with its parent network Viacom to launch a 24-hour online music festival. The “Live Music Day Festival” is part of Viacom’s O Music Awards which celebrate the best in digital music while also seemingly insulting it by handing out awards like “Best Artist Instagram,” “Our Favorite Musical Cat,” and “Too Much Ass For TV.” And because any artist would be lucky to be discovered as part of an award show honoring cats and asses, the OMAs are also introducing a brand new “Make A Band Famous Award” which could theoretically (but not really) launch the career of one of the five groups nominated.
The 24-hour live stream surrounding the award show will feature over 50 artists from various musical backgrounds including Gavin DeGraw, Kate Nash, 2AM Club, and Hanson. The stream will also feature a 24-hour drum-a-thon by The Roots’ Questlove because if there’s one thing people enjoy, it’s nonstop drumming for a full day.
Comedy duo Jason and Randy Sklar will host both the awards show and the festival, which will begin streaming online on June 19 at 7pm EST. The OMAs are open for online voting through June 19 so interested parties have until then to decide which group of rabidly devoted people wins the “Fan Army FTW” award. Beliebers and Selenators, behavior yourselves. [via The Hollywood Reporter]