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Tag: Pharrell Williams

  • Pocket FM’s Rohan Nayak to deliver keynote at Web Summit, Lisbon 2024

    Pocket FM’s Rohan Nayak to deliver keynote at Web Summit, Lisbon 2024

    Mumbai: Pocket FM co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak will deliver a keynote at the Web Summit in Lisbon, making him the only Indian leader from the entertainment sector and the sole Indian keynote speaker at the event. His session, titled ‘Profit Play: New Rules of Entertainment,’ will detail Pocket FM’s journey in creating and scaling a new category in entertainment with its innovative Audio Series format.

    Founded in 2018, Pocket FM has grown rapidly since 2021, producing over 35,000 audio series and reaching an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of $200 million. Rohan will share how the company identified untapped market opportunities through 10 strategic pivots and discuss its approach to building and monetising a new entertainment category. His keynote will provide exclusive insights into the strategies that have helped Pocket FM become a major player in audio entertainment, highlighting the importance of innovation in shaping the future of digital storytelling.

    This milestone for India’s entertainment and tech industry emphasizes the global demand for high-quality, digital content. Web Summit, one of the largest global tech conferences, will be held from 11–14 November 2024, at MEO Arena in Lisbon, Portugal. The event will feature over 800 speakers, including leaders like Jessica Sibley (CEO, Time), Mark Read (CEO, WPP), Josh Silverman (CEO, Etsy), Kuo Zhang (President, Alibaba.com), Richard Teng (CEO, Binance), and Pharrell Williams (13-time Grammy Award winner).

  • Emerging female visionaries: Fox, PepsiCo announce contest, award up to $200,000

    Emerging female visionaries: Fox, PepsiCo announce contest, award up to $200,000

    MUMBAI: PepsiCo and 21st Century Fox, in partnership with the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), has announced “The Search for Hidden Figures” – a new scholarship contest designed to help uncover the next generation of female leaders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

    The program is inspired by the highly-anticipated feature film “Hidden Figures”, in theaters nationwide on 6 January, 2017, produced by Pharrell Williams, starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons. The film tells the ‘untold’ story of three African American female NASA mathematicians during the Space Race of the 1960s. This contest will support today’s emerging STEM visionaries by awarding over US$200,000 (Rs 1.35 crore) in scholarships and other prizes to over 20 winners.

    Taraji P. Henson plays Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson, American physicist, space scientist, and mathematician in “Hidden Figures.”

    “PepsiCo is incredibly proud to work with 21st Century Fox and the New York Academy of Sciences to shine a light on women and girls doing outstanding but unheralded work in science, technology, engineering and math,” said PepsiCo’s vice chairman and chief scientific officer – global research and development Mehmood Khan. “The ‘Hidden Figures’ story is being told at a time when advances in each of these fields are creating unprecedented opportunities to develop solutions for many of the world’s biggest challenges. PepsiCo is proud to actively support the discovery of STEM talent and the development of STEM skills in the workforce.”

    Beginning today through 10 December, 2016, online entries will be accepted directly at www.SearchforHiddenFigures.com. Semi-finalists will be selected in mid-December, and each will be asked to provide a video submission for continued consideration. Top video submissions will then be judged by a notable panel of judges that include: “Hidden Figures” Producer Pharrell Williams; “Hidden Figures” Producer Donna Gigliotti; Fox 2000 President Elizabeth Gabler; and President of the New York Academy of Sciences Ellis Rubinstein.

    On January 12, 2017, two grand prize winners will be announced. Winners will receive access to the NYAS STEM skills training materials and programs, up to $200,000 in scholarships, and a trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida.

    “We are honored to have the opportunity to share the story of Katherine Johnson and her peers whose contributions have remained hidden for too long,” said 21st Century Fox executive chairman Lachlan Murdoch . “At 21CF, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire the next generation of talent to dream bigger and unlock their full potential, and through The Search for Hidden Figures contest we are excited to give young women across the country the encouragement to pursue those dreams.”

    To help encourage participation, PepsiCo and 21st Century Fox will be supporting the campaign with a national TV and digital media campaign featuring the film’s lead actress, Taraji P. Henson, as well as messages of encouragement from the film’s actresses and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from “Hidden Figures” on the contest’s website. To further discussion around STEM, PepsiCo will also be launching a collection of STEM mobile and web games, quizzes and challenges for students and fans of the film to test their skills. The mobile and web games can be found at http://searchforhiddenfigures.com/stem-challenges/.

    At PepsiCo, deep scientific and technological expertise is critical to meeting the company’s Performance with Purpose goals. Unlocking new ways to create more nutritionally advantaged foods and beverages or delivering tangible plans to increase production while reducing the company’s environment footprint, all rely on STEM leadership. By investing in today’s emerging talent, PepsiCo is playing a role in inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders who will likely become the driving force behind the company’s future innovation and topline growth.

    PepsiCo recently announced a commitment to improve the lives of 12.5 million women and girls by 2025, as part of its Performance with Purpose goals. Given that women represent only 24 percent of the STEM workforce, PepsiCo is particularly committed to expanding and encouraging STEM opportunities among female students and professionals.

    Prior to the Search for Hidden Figures contest, PepsiCo was the founding chair of the STEM Innovation Taskforce, a coalition on of more than 35 industry, government, educator and NGO partners who work cross functionally to develop and implement programs to help solve the STEM shortfall. Additionally, PepsiCo holds a longstanding relationship with NYAS and continues to support “The Junior Academy of the New York Academy of Sciences” – a virtual program dedicated to engaging exceptional STEM students. For more information about The Junior Academy of NYAS, please visit www.thejunioracademy.org.

    “Hidden Figures,” directed by Theodore Melfi, is the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe)—brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big. The film was written by Allison Schroeder and Melfi and is based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly. The film opens wide on 6 January, 2017.

  • Emerging female visionaries: Fox, PepsiCo announce contest, award up to $200,000

    Emerging female visionaries: Fox, PepsiCo announce contest, award up to $200,000

    MUMBAI: PepsiCo and 21st Century Fox, in partnership with the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), has announced “The Search for Hidden Figures” – a new scholarship contest designed to help uncover the next generation of female leaders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

    The program is inspired by the highly-anticipated feature film “Hidden Figures”, in theaters nationwide on 6 January, 2017, produced by Pharrell Williams, starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons. The film tells the ‘untold’ story of three African American female NASA mathematicians during the Space Race of the 1960s. This contest will support today’s emerging STEM visionaries by awarding over US$200,000 (Rs 1.35 crore) in scholarships and other prizes to over 20 winners.

    Taraji P. Henson plays Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson, American physicist, space scientist, and mathematician in “Hidden Figures.”

    “PepsiCo is incredibly proud to work with 21st Century Fox and the New York Academy of Sciences to shine a light on women and girls doing outstanding but unheralded work in science, technology, engineering and math,” said PepsiCo’s vice chairman and chief scientific officer – global research and development Mehmood Khan. “The ‘Hidden Figures’ story is being told at a time when advances in each of these fields are creating unprecedented opportunities to develop solutions for many of the world’s biggest challenges. PepsiCo is proud to actively support the discovery of STEM talent and the development of STEM skills in the workforce.”

    Beginning today through 10 December, 2016, online entries will be accepted directly at www.SearchforHiddenFigures.com. Semi-finalists will be selected in mid-December, and each will be asked to provide a video submission for continued consideration. Top video submissions will then be judged by a notable panel of judges that include: “Hidden Figures” Producer Pharrell Williams; “Hidden Figures” Producer Donna Gigliotti; Fox 2000 President Elizabeth Gabler; and President of the New York Academy of Sciences Ellis Rubinstein.

    On January 12, 2017, two grand prize winners will be announced. Winners will receive access to the NYAS STEM skills training materials and programs, up to $200,000 in scholarships, and a trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida.

    “We are honored to have the opportunity to share the story of Katherine Johnson and her peers whose contributions have remained hidden for too long,” said 21st Century Fox executive chairman Lachlan Murdoch . “At 21CF, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire the next generation of talent to dream bigger and unlock their full potential, and through The Search for Hidden Figures contest we are excited to give young women across the country the encouragement to pursue those dreams.”

    To help encourage participation, PepsiCo and 21st Century Fox will be supporting the campaign with a national TV and digital media campaign featuring the film’s lead actress, Taraji P. Henson, as well as messages of encouragement from the film’s actresses and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from “Hidden Figures” on the contest’s website. To further discussion around STEM, PepsiCo will also be launching a collection of STEM mobile and web games, quizzes and challenges for students and fans of the film to test their skills. The mobile and web games can be found at http://searchforhiddenfigures.com/stem-challenges/.

    At PepsiCo, deep scientific and technological expertise is critical to meeting the company’s Performance with Purpose goals. Unlocking new ways to create more nutritionally advantaged foods and beverages or delivering tangible plans to increase production while reducing the company’s environment footprint, all rely on STEM leadership. By investing in today’s emerging talent, PepsiCo is playing a role in inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders who will likely become the driving force behind the company’s future innovation and topline growth.

    PepsiCo recently announced a commitment to improve the lives of 12.5 million women and girls by 2025, as part of its Performance with Purpose goals. Given that women represent only 24 percent of the STEM workforce, PepsiCo is particularly committed to expanding and encouraging STEM opportunities among female students and professionals.

    Prior to the Search for Hidden Figures contest, PepsiCo was the founding chair of the STEM Innovation Taskforce, a coalition on of more than 35 industry, government, educator and NGO partners who work cross functionally to develop and implement programs to help solve the STEM shortfall. Additionally, PepsiCo holds a longstanding relationship with NYAS and continues to support “The Junior Academy of the New York Academy of Sciences” – a virtual program dedicated to engaging exceptional STEM students. For more information about The Junior Academy of NYAS, please visit www.thejunioracademy.org.

    “Hidden Figures,” directed by Theodore Melfi, is the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe)—brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big. The film was written by Allison Schroeder and Melfi and is based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly. The film opens wide on 6 January, 2017.

  • Yahoo announces contest for Apple Music Festival in September

    Yahoo announces contest for Apple Music Festival in September

    MUMBAI:  Yahoo India has announced a contest that will give music fans the exclusive chance to travel to London for the 2015 Apple Music Festival in September.

     

    To participate, fans need to start a blog on Tumblr, create as many music-related posts as they like and register for the contest. Given that Tumblr lets you effortlessly share anything, these posts can be in any format – audio, photo, video, gif, links or a quote. Whether it’s singing a tune, grooving to one or writing a song, participants need to showcase their creative best. The contest closes at 23:59 hours, IST, 9 September 2015.

     

    Five contestants with the most creative, imaginative Tumblr blogs that show plenty of music love, will win the chance to fly (with a friend) to London for the closing night of the Apple Music Festival on September 28.

     

    Pharrell Williams, One Direction, Florence + The Machine and Disclosure are among the headliners at this year’s Festival, which includes ten nights of spectacular live shows at London’s historic Roundhouse venue. Get ready for all the action at this year’s Apple Music Festival with a selection of incredible live performances from years past at www.applemusic.com/festival

     

    Stay updated with the latest news on Apple Music Festival, with exclusive content on Yahoo India Celebrity. 

  • Justin Bieber to perform ‘What Do You Mean’ at MTV Video Music Awards 2015

    Justin Bieber to perform ‘What Do You Mean’ at MTV Video Music Awards 2015

    MUMBAI: Multi-Platinum singer-songwriter Justin Bieber will perform his new single “What Do You Mean” at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, which will be aired on 30 August. The song released on 28 August on RBMG / Def Jam Recordings.

     

    The performance will mark Bieber’s first return to the VMA stage since his medley performance of “Baby,” “Somebody to Love” and “U Smile” in 2010. Miley Cyrus will be the host for the evening, along with Kanye West joining the exclusive club of legendary artists bestowed with the “Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.”

     

    Performers include The Weekend, Pharrell Williams, Demi Lovato, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Tori Kelly, A$AP Rocky and Twenty One Pilots and more.

     

    This year, MTV has also teamed up with world-renowned fashion designer Jeremy Scott to redesign the MTV Moonman. As homage to Jeremy and his creative talent, the 2015 VMA Moonman encapsulates the true iconic essence of both the fashion designer and the network. From the distinct colour of the TV colour bars, to the peace sign necklace, to Jeremy’s signature sneakers, the redesign of statue is part of MTV’s long-standing history of bridging the gap between the world of fashion and music.

     

    Artists who win a 2015 “Video Music Award” will take home a special-edition Jeremy Scott Moonman, which was created exclusively for this year’s show. The 2015 MTV Video Music Awards will air across MTV’s global network of channels in more than 160 countries and territories, reaching more than half a billion households around the world.

  • Taylor Swift joins ‘The Voice’ as adviser

    Taylor Swift joins ‘The Voice’ as adviser

    MUMBAI: Pop star Taylor Swift is all set to join the seventh season of NBC’s reality singing competition The Voice as a guest mentor, according to media reports.

     

    Swift, 24, is said to be taking part in an episode as an advisor to the contestants. She will be part of mentors that will include Stevie Nicks, Gavin Rossdale, country music vocal group Little Big Town, and Alicia Keys. She will serve in the same capacity that Coldplay singer Chris Martin aided the show in its sixth season, advising contestants across all four teams.

     

    This will not be the first time that the singer will be seen on the show. She was a guest performer in the fourth season and was featured in a segment of the episode.

     

    Swift will also be performing with The Voice coaches Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and newcomers Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams, according to the Huffington Post.

     

    She will also be working with veterans Adam Levine and Blake Shelton, as well as new coaches Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams, who were added to the lineup for the upcoming season.

     

    The seventh season of The Voice will premiere on 22 September. Swift’s appearance will coincide with the release of her fifth album, “1989,” which has been touted to be the singer’s first “official pop album.”

  • Oscar Academy rescinds original song nomination for Alone Yet Not Alone

    Oscar Academy rescinds original song nomination for Alone Yet Not Alone

    MUMBAI: On Tuesday night, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted to rescind the Original Song nomination for Alone Yet Not Alone, music by Bruce Broughton and lyric by Dennis Spiegel. The decision was prompted by the discovery that Broughton, a former Governor and current Music Branch executive committee member, had emailed members of the branch to make them aware of his submission during the nominations voting period.

     

    “No matter how well-intentioned the communication, using one’s position as a former governor and current executive committee member to personally promote one’s own Oscar submission creates the appearance of an unfair advantage,” said Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Academy President.

     

    The Board determined that Broughton’s actions were inconsistent with the Academy’s promotional regulations, which provide, among other terms, that “it is the Academy’s goal to ensure that the Awards competition is conducted in a fair and ethical manner. If any campaign activity is determined by the Board of Governors to work in opposition to that goal, whether or not anticipated by these regulations, the Board of Governors may take any corrective actions or assess any penalties that in its discretion it deems necessary to protect the reputation and integrity of the awards process.”

     

    An additional nominee in the Original Song category will not be named. The remaining nominees in the category are:

     

    “Happy” from Despicable Me 2– Music and Lyric by Pharrell Williams

    “Let It Go” from Frozen – Music and Lyric by c and Robert Lopez

    “The Moon Song” from Her – Music by Karen O; Lyric by Karen O and Spike Jonze

    “Ordinary Love” from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – Music by Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen; Lyric by Paul Hewson

     

    The members from each of the Academy’s branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, musicians and composers nominate song and score.

     

    During the nominations process, all 240 voting members of the Music Branch received a Reminder List of works submitted in the Original Song category and a DVD copy of the song clips with film and song title only (additional information including composer and lyricist is not provided).  Members were asked to watch the clips and then vote in the order of their preference for not more than five nominees in the category. A maximum of two songs may be nominated from any one film.

     

    Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, 2 March, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center and televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, also will be televised live in India.

  • AHI registers record sales for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards

    AHI registers record sales for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards

    NEW JERSEY: In anticipation of the upcoming ceremony set to air live in the US on 26 January, on the CBS Television Network, Alfred Haber, President of Alfred Haber, Inc. (AHI) announced yesterday the company has racked up record sales for the 2014 56th Annual Grammy Awards, the 3 and a half hour extravaganza billed as Music’s Biggest Night.

     

    With the 2014 show marking 25 years of representation of the Grammy Awards by AHI, global broadcasters to sign on for this spectacular show that continues to be the world’s most popular televised music event include:  Channel 4 (UK), Rogers Media (Canada), ProSieben (Germany), WOWOW (Japan), D17/Canal Plus (France), Televisa (Mexico), Fox International Channel (Asia), Viacom 18 (India), Turner (Latin America), Shanghai Media Group (China), M-Net (Africa), TV 2 (Turkey), NetMedia (Indonesia), Ren-TV (Russia), TV2 (Denmark)  and Cignal TV (Philippines).

     

    “With over a quarter of a century of representation, we at Alfred Haber, Inc. are honored to once again be representing the Grammy Awards to the international television community,” commented Haber.  “Music has the ability to transcend all language barriers and borders and this remarkable event is something that, this season, will be enjoyed by audiences in more than 190 territories the world over.”

     

    Performers announced thus far for this year’s show include current Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles with four-time Grammy winner and 2014 MusiCares Person of the Year Carole King; nominees Daft Punk with nominee Nile Rodgers, nominee Pharrell Williams, and 25-time Grammy winner Stevie Wonder; nominee Kendrick Lamar joined by nominees Imagine Dragons; nominee John Legend; nominee Lorde; nominees Macklemore & Ryan Lewis; nominee Paul McCartney; eight-time Grammy-winning group Metallica with Grammy Cultural Ambassador to China Lang Lang; nominee Kacey Musgraves; nominee Katy Perry; nominees P!nk and Nate Ruess (of FUN.); nine-time Grammy winner Ringo Starr; Taylor Swift; nominee Robin Thicke with Grammy-winning group Chicago; nominee Keith Urban; and a special “Grammy Moment” featuring two-time Grammy winner Merle Haggard, three-time Grammy winner and 2014 Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Kris Kristofferson, seven-time Grammy winner Willie Nelson, and current nominee Blake Shelton. 

  • Supergroup formed to create music for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”

    Supergroup formed to create music for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”

    NEW DELHI: Oscar-and Grammy-winning composer Hans Zimmer will work with Pharrell Williams, Johnny Marr, Michael Einziger, and Dave Stewart to create music for The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

    Making this announcement in Culver City, Sony Pictures Worldwide Music president Lia Vollack said the film, directed by Marc Webb from a screen story and screenplay by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, is produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach.  

    The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be released in theaters in the United States on 2 May 2014, and international release dates commence 16 April 2014.

    Commenting on the announcement, Zimmer said, “Marc and I were talking about Spider-Man, and as the word got out, so many of our friends and musicians started calling us up, wanting to be a part of it because they love Spider-Man. That was the thing that united all of us – the great love for Spider-Man. With all of these hugely talented people wanting to join us, it was Marc who said, ‘Why not start a band?’ Marc and I have had a great start jamming with everybody, and we still have a few surprises up our sleeve.”

    Vollack added, “This kind of collaboration is only possible because of who Marc Webb is – not only a director but also a musician – combined with who Hans is and what Spider-Man means to so many people. Nobody has ever approached film music in this way before and this likely can never be replicated. We are huge fans of Hans, Pharrell, Johnny, Mike, and Dave, and when combined, we know the result will be truly unique… and amazing!”

    Zimmer, a nine-time Oscar nominee and winner for his work on The Lion King, previously collaborated with Williams on the film Despicable Me, as Williams produced four original solo songs and several other character-sung pieces. They later collaborated on the music for the 84th Annual Academy Awards. Marr played on Zimmer’s score for the hit film Inception, Einziger played on his score for The Lone Ranger, and Stewart played with Zimmer on the score for Madagascar 3.

    Hans Zimmer has composed the scores for more than 100 films taking in more than 17 billion dollars. His many credits include scoring the Pirates of the Caribbean blockbusters, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, 12 Years a Slave, Rush, Man of Steel, Sherlock Holmes, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, Gladiator, The Thin Red Line, Rain Man, and many more. He has been honoured with an Academy Award, two Golden Globes and four Grammys. In 2003, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers presented him the prestigious Henry Mancini Award for Lifetime Achievement for his impressive and influential body of work.

    Pharrell Williams, a three-time Grammy winner, is one of the world’s most in-demand and influential music producers and recording artists. This summer, Williams became the 12th artiste to hold the #1 and #2 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously as he was featured on two songs – Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines, also featuring T.I., which Williams also produced, and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky, which Williams co-wrote – both of which have been called the Song of Summer. He has previously composed songs and the score for the hit animated films Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2.

    Johnny Marr rose to fame as co-songwriter and founder member of The Smiths. Since then, Marr has continued to push boundaries and work with some of the world’s most exciting musical artistes, including Modest Mouse, The The, Pet Shop Boys, Talking Heads, and Beck. This year NME awarded Marr the Godlike Genius award. He recently released the critically acclaimed solo album, The Messenger.

    Michael Einziger is the founder/guitarist/songwriter for the groundbreaking band Incubus. Wake Me Up, the worldwide smash he co-wrote with Avicii, has been #1 in 70 countries. As an acclaimed record producer, he produced /co-wrote/executive produced three projects set for release in the coming months: Chuck Inglish, Yuna and the Internet (Odd Future). In addition to scoring the Josh Duhamel film Scenic Route he has scored Supremacy and is working on three additional film projects. Einziger previously collaborated with Zimmer on The Lone Ranger, for which he composed additional music.

  • Supergroup formed to create music for The Amazing Spider-Man 2

    Supergroup formed to create music for The Amazing Spider-Man 2

    NEW DELHI: Oscar-and Grammy-winning composer Hans Zimmer will work with Pharrell Williams, Johnny Marr, Michael Einziger, and Dave Stewart to create music for The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

     

    Making this announcement in Culver City, Sony Pictures Worldwide Music president Lia Vollack said the film, directed by Marc Webb from a screen story and screenplay by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, is produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach.  

     

    The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be released in theaters in the United States on 2 May 2014, and international release dates commence 16 April 2014.

     

    Commenting on the announcement, Zimmer said, “Marc and I were talking about Spider-Man, and as the word got out, so many of our friends and musicians started calling us up, wanting to be a part of it because they love Spider-Man. That was the thing that united all of us – the great love for Spider-Man. With all of these hugely talented people wanting to join us, it was Marc who said, ‘Why not start a band?’ Marc and I have had a great start jamming with everybody, and we still have a few surprises up our sleeve.”

     

    Vollack added, “This kind of collaboration is only possible because of who Marc Webb is – not only a director but also a musician – combined with who Hans is and what Spider-Man means to so many people. Nobody has ever approached film music in this way before and this likely can never be replicated. We are huge fans of Hans, Pharrell, Johnny, Mike, and Dave, and when combined, we know the result will be truly unique… and amazing!”

     

    Zimmer, a nine-time Oscar nominee and winner for his work on The Lion King, previously collaborated with Williams on the film Despicable Me, as Williams produced four original solo songs and several other character-sung pieces. They later collaborated on the music for the 84th Annual Academy Awards. Marr played on Zimmer’s score for the hit film Inception, Einziger played on his score for The Lone Ranger, and Stewart played with Zimmer on the score for Madagascar 3.

     

    Hans Zimmer has composed the scores for more than 100 films taking in more than 17 billion dollars. His many credits include scoring the Pirates of the Caribbean blockbusters, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, 12 Years a Slave, Rush, Man of Steel, Sherlock Holmes, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, Gladiator, The Thin Red Line, Rain Man, and many more. He has been honoured with an Academy Award, two Golden Globes and four Grammys. In 2003, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers presented him the prestigious Henry Mancini Award for Lifetime Achievement for his impressive and influential body of work.

     

    Pharrell Williams, a three-time Grammy winner, is one of the world’s most in-demand and influential music producers and recording artists. This summer, Williams became the 12th artiste to hold the #1 and #2 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously as he was featured on two songs – Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines, also featuring T.I., which Williams also produced, and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky, which Williams co-wrote – both of which have been called the Song of Summer. He has previously composed songs and the score for the hit animated films Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2.

     

    Johnny Marr rose to fame as co-songwriter and founder member of The Smiths. Since then, Marr has continued to push boundaries and work with some of the world’s most exciting musical artistes, including Modest Mouse, The The, Pet Shop Boys, Talking Heads, and Beck. This year NME awarded Marr the Godlike Genius award. He recently released the critically acclaimed solo album, The Messenger.

     

    Michael Einziger is the founder/guitarist/songwriter for the groundbreaking band Incubus. Wake Me Up, the worldwide smash he co-wrote with Avicii, has been #1 in 70 countries. As an acclaimed record producer, he produced /co-wrote/executive produced three projects set for release in the coming months: Chuck Inglish, Yuna and the Internet (Odd Future). In addition to scoring the Josh Duhamel film Scenic Route he has scored Supremacy and is working on three additional film projects. Einziger previously collaborated with Zimmer on The Lone Ranger, for which he composed additional music.

    Dave Stewart is recognized as one of the most respected and accomplished talents in the music industry. “He’s the musician’s musician.”- Rolling Stone. Stewart’s music career spans three decades and more than 100 million album sales, highlighted by his collaboration with Annie Lennox in the groundbreaking pop-rock duo Eurythmics. Behind the scenes, he has produced albums and co-written songs for Bono, Bryan Ferry, Gwen Stefani, Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks, Katy Perry, and Mick Jagger. Beyond his creative work as a musician, he is a renowned producer, author, director, photographer, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Stewart recently released a solo album, Lucky Numbers.