Press Releases » Webjam enables NME to connect bands with music fans

Renowned multi-platform music media brand NME launches “NME Breakthrough”, giving bands the opportunity to get exposure not only online, but also in the magazine and at events throughout the year.

Webjam, a provider of solutions for social publishing and engagement, today announced the launch of the NME Breakthrough website for NME, Britain’s longest-running weekly music magazine.

NME has teamed up with Webjam to design, build and host a fully interactive online community for more than 4.2 million unique users from NME.com. NME Breakthrough provides a bespoke platform for artists to upload music, embed video content from other social networking sites such as YouTube, and grow their own fan-bases through community engagement.  Through NME Breakthrough, users can listen to their favourite bands, become fans and most importantly are able to rate their favourite songs and videos online. Based on Webjam’s ratings system and voted completely by users, the best artists and tracks are featured on the site. The best artists and music receive coverage in the magazine and will perform at upcoming events.  Live news feeds are also available all from one website, providing a complete platform for music fans.

David Moynihan, Editor of NME.com, commented, “NME Breakthrough is a step for us in providing a channel for artists and our users to connect with each other.  Our website and magazine play a key role in keeping our readers informed with the latest news and expert reviews, and this new social networking platform is giving our users direct interaction with bands.

It also acts as an important medium for bands to listen to what their fans want, through a simple rating feature. In addition, we are going to offer amazing opportunities on the site; the rewarded artists will perform at a NME Radar event as well as a key festival this summer.”

Lexie Mendelson, Business Development Director at Webjam, added, “We are thrilled to be part of this exciting process of bringing bands closer to their followers through the use of social networking.  We believe NME is leading the way in taking the publishing industry forward by combining print with online as well as social media.  It’s a great example of organisations understanding the importance of engaging with their target audience through ongoing conversations and interactions.  A well implemented social media strategy can be the most cost-effective tool for user engagement.”

The NME Breakthrough website is sponsored by Blackberry until early June and goes live on 4 May on http://music.nme.com

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About NME
NME has become a truly unique multi-platform media proposition. Across the magazine, nme.com, NMETV, NME Radio and the brand's live events and awards, NME reaches over one million music fans every week. NME is the longest published and most respected music weekly in the world. Every week it gives its readers the most exciting, most authoritative coverage of the very best in contemporary music, including award winning features, the latest releases, live reviews, the definitive guide to the best new bands in its Radar section, as well as a regular look back through the magazine's incredible 58 year heritage.


About Webjam
Webjam helps companies to connect with their customers and employees by providing them with an easy, affordable solution for social publishing and engagement. Our clients manage their own branded and customisable social media environment in which content is created and shared easily, communities grow naturally and social media networks integrate seamlessly.

Founded in 2006 and based in London, Webjam is a Guardian Tech Media 100 company and its platform is being used across a variety of sectors, from the world’s largest media and directory companies, to consumer brands and professional organisations.  Our corporate customers include Random House (the largest publisher of English language books), JWT (part of WPP, one of the world's largest advertising agencies), Yamaha Music and Make Your Mark.

For more information about Webjam, visit www.webjam.com/about_us/newsroom

Press Contacts:
Marc Campman
Marketing Director, Webjam
Tel: +44 7545 328 921
Skype: marc Campman
Email: marc.campman(at)webjam-ltd.com

Luica Mak
PR Consultant
Tel: +44 790 547 1332
Email: info(at)makatwork.com

NME
Anna Gawan, IPC Media
Tel: +44 203 148 5405
Email: anna_gawan(at)ipcmedia.com