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Feargal Sharkey to unveil £50,000 battle of the bands competition
By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 22 March 2017
A new digital platform for DIY artists will formally launch at an event in London later today. Called Salute Music Makers, like around 7000 unused websites and apps that litter the internet, it’s based on the premise that unsigned bands have no platform for their music. However, this one is being run as a talent competition with the winner taking a £50,000 prize. And who doesn’t want £50,000? Also, some people you’ve heard of are backing it.
The face of the project is Feargal Sharkey, who returns to giving quotes about the music industry six years after standing down as chief exec of UK Music in 2011. It also has the backing of SBTV’s Jamal Edwards and sponsorship from Unilad.
Here’s how it works: Unsigned bands upload their music for it to be judged by a load of “respected curators”. All entries will be whittled down to a top 100. These will then be put to a public vote, after which the six with the biggest mailing lists will be awarded £10,000 each. They’ll then battle it out on a TV show (it’s not clear where this will be broadcast), creating new original material based on a different theme each week. The overall winner will receive another £40,000 to spend on whatever they like. Maybe they could use it as start-up finance and launch the next digital platform for DIY artists.
“British music can justifiably claim to conquer the world but that incredible success is built upon one thing, talent”, says Sharkey. “In an age of television static and bewildering musical consumer choice, it is now more important than ever that we give the right, focused support and opportunity to the next generation of great British talent. Salute is set to make that happen”.
The competition will open on 5 Apr, with the final 100 announced on 15 May. The ‘TV show’ will begin in September, with the winner announced in October. Here’s more information.
