Billboard.com and Chevrolet Announce Finalists for 'Cruze-ing to Vegas' Battle of the Bands Competition

    NEW YORK, NY, April 13, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Billboard.com and Chevrolet announced today that six finalists in the "Cruze-ing to Vegas" competition have won a road trip to Las Vegas and the chance to compete for the gig of a lifetime: a live performance at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards, to be televised on ABC, 8 p.m. ET, on Sunday, May 20.

The finalists were selected from a field of 18 up-and-coming young artists competing from six regions across the country. They are:

Northwest: Savannah Outen, pop vocalist, Hillsboro, Oregon
Southwest: Saints of Valory, rock, Austin, Texas
Midwest: Take the Day, pop/rock, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Northeast: Patent Pending, pop/punk, Mount Sinai, New York
West: Doe Eye, singer/songwriter, San Francisco, California
Southeast: After the Smoke, rap duo, Tallahassee, Florida

Each of the winning bands will receive the key to an all-new, 2012 Chevrolet Cruze - Chevrolet's top-selling passenger car, and named the Best Compact Car for the Money by U.S. News and World Report - for a road trip that takes them from their home base to Las Vegas.

A camera crew will follow their every move as they play gigs along the way and rock out to Cruze's standard SiriusXM Satellite Radio and sophisticated infotainment system. The bands can connect with fans through blogging, Facebook, Tweeting and by creating personalized playlists as they strive to improve their social Heat Score. The six bands will document their journey as they "Cruze" to Las Vegas. Fans can travel along via www.Billboard.com/battle.

At up to 42 mpg highway, the Cruze Eco offers the most fuel-efficient gas engine in America, which means the bands can make fewer trips for gasoline. And the Cruze is designed to be as safe as it is efficient. It received the coveted Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score for safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It features 10 standard air bags, including driver's side knee air bags.

When the finalists reach Las Vegas, they will prepare for the Friday, May 18 "Battle of the Bands" competition before a live audience. That night, the winner will be selected by a distinguished panel of Billboard celebrity judges - and then perform on Sunday, May 20 as a part of the Billboard Music Awards 2012.

Presented in partnership with the Chevrolet Cruze, the Billboard Music Awards, seen by millions of viewers, is an amazing platform for any artist, let alone a developing act, to showcase their talent. With a total of almost 8 million total viewers, the 2011 Billboard Music Awards helped ABC win the 8-11 p.m. timeslot, beating even the season finale of Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" on NBC.

How the Contest Worked
In early March, at the start of the contest, Billboard editors chose three unsigned bands from six regions of the U.S. Voting throughout the month took place online at www.billboard.com/battle. Finalists from each region were selected by fans who listened and watched videos before casting a vote. Each participant was automatically entered to win two tickets, hotel accommodations and airfare to the Billboard Music Awards.

"We are seeing a level of talent and diversity from these bands this year that is nothing short of amazing," offers Billboard Editorial Director Bill Werde. "Knowing that each of the six contenders chosen by Billboard.com voters will have an opportunity to be seen by a worldwide audience should make the Battle of the Bands competition fierce."

"Chevrolet is thrilled to give emerging artists - the everyday heroes of the music world - a chance to showcase their talent on the national stage," said Kevin Mayer, Chevrolet advertising manager. "Many of today's superstars got their start driving from gig to gig. 'Cruze-ing to Las Vegas' helps our six finalists make that journey to stardom in style."

About Billboard
Billboard is the world's most influential music media brand reaching key executives and tastemakers in and around the music business through Billboard Magazine, Billboard.biz, Billboard Conferences, Billboard Bulletin, and other targeted newsletters, and millions of music fans through Billboard.com and Billboard Events. The Billboard brand is built on its exclusive charts and unrivaled reporting on the latest news, issues and trends across all genres of music. Billboard receives hundreds of millions of brand impressions daily through many strategic relationships with major companies across various industries. These relationships leverage Billboard's brand recognition, proprietary chart data and information resources to develop products, live events and print, television, radio, digital and mobile platforms. In addition to North America, Billboard operates businesses in Brazil, Greece, Japan, Korea and Russia.

Billboard is owned by Prometheus Global Media, a diversified company with leading assets in the media and entertainment arenas, including: Music (Billboard and its related conferences and events, including The Billboard Latin Music Awards), Entertainment (The Hollywood Reporter, Backstage, ShowEast, Cineasia, and CineEurope); and Advertising & Marketing (Adweek, Adweek Conferences and The CLIO Awards).

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

CONTACTS:

Chevrolet :
Annalisa Esposito Bluhm
Chevrolet Communications
586-713-5907
[email protected]
@annalisabluhm

Billboard Music Awards:
Maury Rogoff
Maury Rogoff PR & Marketing, Inc.
212-421-8377
[email protected]

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