Cumulus Media’s “Your Music First” Multi-Week Audio Series Takes Listeners Behind the Scenes With Three-Time GRAMMY Winner and Hitmaker Darius Rucker, Who Returns to Country Radio With New Single, “Fires Don’t Start Themselves”
44 Cumulus Country Radio Stations Across the U.S. Will Showcase the Highly Anticipated New Single Through Revealing Vignettes Featuring Exclusive Background Stories and Personal Insights From the Former Hootie & the Blowfish Frontman
ATLANTA, April 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cumulus Media (NASDAQ: CMLS) announces that today it will launch the third installment of its new multi-week audio series, Your Music First, featuring Country superstar and Capitol Records Nashville recording artist Darius Rucker’s new single, “Fires Don’t Start Themselves.” The multi-part series will air over the next four weeks across 44 Cumulus Media Country radio stations in markets from coast-to-coast and will showcase the romantic anthem, along with Rucker’s personal insights into making the single and exclusive behind-the-scenes stories and candid observations from the three-time GRAMMY winner. “Fires Don’t Start Themselves” will be featured on Rucker’s upcoming seventh studio album Carolyn’s Boy.
Greg Frey, VP of Music Partnerships, Cumulus Media, said: “Since launching his Country solo career in 2008, after the record-setting success of Hootie & the Blowfish, Darius has been a consistent hitmaker at Country radio. It’s fantastic to have his singular voice back and to have “Fires Don’t Start Themselves” as our next Your Music First campaign. Our listeners will get exclusive content in Darius’ own words about his new music and insight into his world.”
Chris Schuler, VP of Promotion, Capitol Records Nashville, commented: “Capitol Records Nashville and Cumulus Media have had a long-standing partnership and we couldn’t be more excited to work together to bring new Darius Rucker music to the marketplace as part of the Your Music First campaign.”
Cumulus Media debuted the high-profile Your Music First campaign in February to highlight new music in a unique way by sharing with radio listeners the thoughts of the biggest stars in different formats in a series of revealing and exclusive vignettes across AC, Alternative, CHR, Country, Hot AC, Rock and Urban formats. The shows feature artist commentary on the song, with artists presenting different aspects of their song’s personal meaning, the inspiration behind the music, and insights on their life and career. Previous Your Music First campaigns have featured Valory Music Co. recording artist Thomas Rhett’s “Angels (Don’t Always Have Wings)” and Republic Records recording artist Shania Twain’s “Giddy Up!”
Rucker will kick off his Starting Fires Tour on June 15th, visiting 21 cities across the U.S. and Canada throughout the summer.
About Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media (NASDAQ: CMLS) is an audio-first media company delivering premium content to over a quarter billion people every month — wherever and whenever they want it. Cumulus Media engages listeners with high-quality local programming through 404 owned-and-operated radio stations across 85 markets; delivers nationally-syndicated sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming from iconic brands including the NFL, the NCAA, the Masters, CNN, the AP, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and many other world-class partners across more than 9,500 affiliated stations through Westwood One, the largest audio network in America; and inspires listeners through the Cumulus Podcast Network, its rapidly growing network of original podcasts that are smart, entertaining and thought-provoking. Cumulus Media provides advertisers with personal connections, local impact and national reach through broadcast and on-demand digital, mobile, social, and voice-activated platforms, as well as integrated digital marketing services, powerful influencers, full-service audio solutions, industry-leading research and insights, and live event experiences. Cumulus Media is the only audio media company to provide marketers with local and national advertising performance guarantees. For more information visit www.cumulusmedia.com.
About Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker first achieved multi-Platinum status in the music industry as lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the GRAMMY Award-winning band Hootie & the Blowfish, who have sold more than 25 million albums worldwide including their Double Diamond-certified (21x Platinum) debut Cracked Rear View, which remains among the top 10 best-selling studio albums of all time. Since releasing his first Country album in 2008, Rucker has earned a whole new legion of fans with four No. 1 albums on the Billboard Country chart, including RIAA Platinum-certified Learn to Live and True Believers, plus 10 No. 1 singles at Country radio and 11 Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum certified hits. Rucker was inducted as a Grand Ole Opry member in 2012 and in 2014 he won his third career GRAMMY Award for Best Solo Country Performance with his Diamond-certified (11x Platinum) version of “Wagon Wheel,” one of the top five best-selling Country songs of all time. He co-hosted the 54th annual CMA Awards in 2020 and topped the charts at Country radio once again with “Beers And Sunshine” in 2021. New songs “Same Beer Different Problem” and “Ol’ Church Hymn” (featuring Chapel Hart) are available everywhere now as Rucker puts the finishing touches on his forthcoming album, Carolyn’s Boy.
As a lifelong philanthropist, Rucker co-chaired the capital campaign that generated $150 million to help build the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in his hometown of Charleston, S.C. and has raised over $3 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through his annual Darius & Friends benefit concert and golf tournament. In addition, Rucker has advocated for over 200 charitable causes supporting public education and junior golf programs in South Carolina through the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation and serves as a National Chair for the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, Tenn. Rucker is also an avid sports fan, offering his own NFL x Darius Rucker Collection by Fanatics apparel line at NFLshop.com, and he is part of the Music City Baseball investment group working to bring an MLB team to Tennessee in addition to serving as a partner at the MGC Sports & Entertainment agency.
Contact: Lisa Dollinger, Dollinger Strategic Communication for Cumulus Media, 512.633.4084, lisa@dollcomm.com.
