Google Play Music announced as the official download & streaming partner of The BRIT Awards 2016
December 15, 2015 — Google Play Music has announced today that it has renewed its partnership as the official download and streaming Partner of The BRIT Awards with MasterCard for the second year running.
Viewers of the globally watched show, which takes place on Wednesday 24th February 2016, will be able to download and stream the audio of live performances on the night, shortly after they take place in real-time.
Downloads will be free of charge, with Google Play Music picking up the cost and donating 50 per cent of proceeds to music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins, the BRIT Awards’ official charity partner, and the remaining 50 per cent to The BRIT Trust for 2016. Proceeds will directly support the valuable work Nordoff Robbins does in delivering thousands of sessions per year to people with a range of challenges in care homes, day centers, hospitals, schools and its own dedicated centers.
Last year, BRITs audio partner Google Play Music made a donation of over £250,000 through the BRIT Trust to charity partner War Child in respect of the free-to-consumer downloads and streams of The BRITs live performances. The donation exceeded all previous BRIT Award charitable records with the amount raised.
Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive of BRIT Awards and the BPI, said: “We are delighted to have Google Play Music on board again following the massive success of last year’s activity, which was great news not just for fans of the Awards who were able to download or stream audio of their favourite live performances, but did so much to raise much-needed funds and profile for War Child through The BRIT Trust.
“We are hoping for even greater digital engagement this year to raise an even larger sum for this year’s nominated charity – Nordoff Robbins in this, their 40th anniversary year. The money raised will make a huge difference to their invaluable music therapy work.”
Azi Eftekhari, Head of EMEA Music Partner Management at Google Play Music commented: “We are thrilled to once again be the official download and streaming partner for The BRIT Awards 2016. As the UK’s most prestigious music event, and one that is getting increasing global recognition, we are very proud to be continuing this partnership. Thanks to the generosity of the artists, managers, labels and publishers who participated, we broke records with our donations to War Child and the BRIT Trust last year. Our goal will be to go even further this year.”
Jo Carter, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Nordoff Robbins commented: “We are delighted that the BPI has chosen us as their official charity partner for this year’s BRIT Awards. It is arguably the main highlight of the musical calendar in the UK and the fact that they’re donating proceeds from downloads of what are always such epic performances on the night, provides a huge opportunity for crucial funds to be raised for Nordoff Robbins, which will enable us to reach even more vulnerable and isolated people and deliver music therapy to those who desperately need our support”.
Social media handles:
@GooglePlay
The BRIT Awards social media channels:
About Google Play Music:
With Google Play Music, it’s never been easier to enjoy the music you love across devices and the web. Download all the latest releases in the Google Play store, and subscribe to Google Play Music to enjoy ad-free streaming from a library of over 35 million songs, personalized radio and music recommendations based on the artist, songs and genres you love.
About Nordoff Robbins
Nordoff Robbins is the UK’s leading music therapy charity, dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable people. They work with children and adults with a range of challenges such as autism, dementia, depression and physical and learning disabilities. They carry out their work in their own music therapy centers, in schools, community centers, hospitals and care homes. Nordoff Robbins is a small organization but needs to raise £3 million every year to continue to provide music therapy to all those who desperately need it.
nordoff-robbins.org.uk @NordoffRobbins1
About BRIT – British Record Industry Trust
The BRIT (British Record Industry Trust) Awards is organized by the BPI – the British recorded music industry association – which has over 400 record company members large and small who between them account for in excess of 90% of UK recorded music sales. The BRIT Awards 2016 with MasterCard will be the 36th BRIT Awards, which has raised more than £16.8m for The BRIT Trust charity, whose main beneficiaries are the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology www.brit.croydon.sch.uk, Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk and other selected charities which match the mission criteria. Over 8,000 young people have been given free education and the opportunity to enter the BRIT School since its opening in 1991 and more than 10,000 children and adults have been helped by the extraordinary music therapy work carried out by Nordoff-Robbins.
