News

Winner Will Receive Two Tickets to the 56th GRAMMY Awards and $1,000

MARLTON, N.J./WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 16, 2013: Kicking off the second annual “Give the Gift of the GRAMMYs” contest as part of its industry-wide Give The Gift Of Music (GTGOM) campaign, the Music Business Association (Music Biz), and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), today debuted a brand new video featuring Elektra recording artist Ed Sheeran. Sheeran is nominated for the 56th GRAMMY Awards® in the ‘Best New Artist’ category, as well as the ‘Album of the Year’ category for his work on Taylor Swift’s Red. The video spotlights the significance of giving and receiving music as a gift and launched exclusively in a featured “Give the Gift of the GRAMMYs” section of the www.givethegiftofmusic.info website.

“When I was about four or five, we only had one album on cassette,” recalls Sheeran. “It was Van Morrison and the Chieftain’s Irish Heartbeat. So that was the first record I heard, and ever since then, whenever I hear it, it reminds me of home and family. That’s a good gift,” he said. To watch the full video, visit www.givethegiftofmusic.info.

The 2nd annual GTGOM “Give the Gift of the GRAMMYs” contest asks fans to share how Sheeran or a particular 56th GRAMMY Awards nominee’s music (song, lyrics, performance, etc.) has inspired them. The grand prize winner will receive two tickets (courtesy of The Recording Academy®) to attend the 56th GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 26, and a cash prize of $1,000. Specific details on the new gifting contest, including deadlines, rules, and regulations, can be found at: givethegiftofmusic.info/contests/2014-give-the-gift-of-the-grammys-contest/.

The site also contains video contributions from 56th GRAMMY Awards nominees such as Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Colbie Caillat, CeeLo Green, Hunter Hayes, Blake Shelton, Gavin Degraw, Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, among others. A full list of awards and nominees can be found at GRAMMY.com/nominees.

In the weeks leading up to the 56th GRAMMY Awards – airing live on Sunday, January 26, at 8|7c on the CBS Television Network – music fans and consumers can further connect with the GTGOM campaign, and its featured GRAMMY® artists, on social media sites including Facebook (www.facebook.com/givethegiftofmusic) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/agiftofmusic).

The Music Business Association and RIAA oversee the GTGOM campaign, which reminds consumers that they can now give the gift of music in more ways than ever, including physical, online, and mobile options. A variety of industry organizations and more than 70 top musicians support the initiative and have helped spread the gifting message. Artists contribute original anecdotes to the givethegiftofmusic.info website that allow consumers to hear how music gifts have touched the lives of their favorite performers. Visitors can also share their own gifting memories, discover new music gift ideas, and share their music wish list with friends and loved ones all year long. In addition, industry groups have supported the campaign by using the GTGOM logo and website URL on their products, in advertisements, and on their websites.