iHeartMedia Celebrates Its Annual Holiday Music Flip Across Broadcast Stations Nationwide With All-New “iHeartRadio Holiday Special” Featuring Performances From Carrie Underwood And Josh Groban

Hosted by Mario Lopez, The Virtual Special Will Broadcast on iHeartMedia’s AC, Hot AC and Classic Hits Stations Nationwide and Video Stream on Oculus Quest and iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook Pages on November 25

Each Year Audiences Double on Holiday Music Radio Stations Compared to Non-Holiday Programming – Making iHeartMedia Stations Across the Country the No. 1 Most Listened to Holiday Music Destination

 New York – November 6, 2020 – To celebrate its annual switch to festive music of the Christmas season across its stations nationwide, iHeartMedia today announced the new iHeartRadio Holiday Special, a virtual concert hosted by Mario Lopez. This 30-minute special event will feature Carrie Underwood, who released her first-ever Christmas album, My Gift, this year, and Josh Groban performing some of the most popular holiday classics, and will broadcast across iHeartMedia’s AC, HOT AC and Classic Hits stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app, and video stream iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages on November 25 at 7pm local time. The event will also be available to watch in VR on the Venues app for Oculus Quest.

Every holiday season, iHeartMedia converts music radio stations in its key markets to all Christmas music through Christmas Day. Each year, these stations continue to have the largest audiences of all radio stations in each market – often doubling the audience size from non-holiday programming – making iHeartMedia the No. 1 holiday music listening destination. 

This season, iHeartMedia’s annual station flip to Christmas music kicks off today, November 6 at 5pm local time, with more than 80 stations across the country broadcasting the season’s festive music from today’s biggest artists including Carrie Underwood, Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, Mannheim Steamroller as well as Holiday classics from Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and more around-the-clock. 

“The anticipation and excitement surrounding our stations’ flip to Christmas music is a staple of the holiday season for our listeners across the country, and we are thrilled to celebrate this festive occasion with our first ‘iHeartRadio Holiday Special,’” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “Given all the country is going through, we know everyone needs the uplifting spirit of holiday music. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the sounds of the holiday season for our music fans than with an intimate performance from Carrie Underwood and Josh Groban across our stations and on Oculus and iHeartRadio’s Facebook and YouTube pages.”

Proud Sponsors of the iHeartRadio Holiday Special include TLC, with more to be announced.

 

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month. It consists of three business groups.

With its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. Its leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms, including more than 860 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets nationwide; its National Sales organization; and the company’s live and virtual events business. It also includes Premiere Networks, the industry’s largest Networks business, with its Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN); and BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service for the Black community. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners with its SmartAudio suite of data targeting and attribution products using data from its massive consumer base.

The iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group includes the company’s fast-growing podcasting business -- iHeartMedia is the number one podcast publisher in downloads, unique listeners, revenue and earnings -- as well as its industry-leading iHeartRadio digital service, available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices; the company’s digital sites, newsletters, digital services and programs; its digital advertising technology companies; and its audio industry-leading social media footprint.

The company’s Audio & Media Services reportable segment includes Katz Media Group, the nation’s largest media representation company, and RCS, the world's leading provider of broadcast and webcast software.

Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.