Billboard and CenterStaging Enter Strategic Agreement to Produce and Distribute New Artist Performances and Music Industry Events

BURBANK, CA. (Top40 Charts/ CenterStaging Corp.) - As announced today at MIDEM in Cannes, France, CenterStaging Musical Productions, Inc. and Billboard, the world's most trusted source of music, video and digital entertainment news, charts, reviews and analysis, have entered into a strategic agreement to cooperate in the discovery and promotion of hot new artist talent, in addition to the production and distribution of various keynote music industry events. These will include dynamic in-studio performances by and insightful interviews with up-and-coming and unsigned recording artists, as well as major in-studio and on-location roundtable discussions and summits with leading music industry executives, established talent and other noteworthy professionals. The events and performances will be made available on rehearsals.com, CenterStaging's online digital portal powered by MLB.com, as well as on Billboard.com, Billboard.biz and other media outlets.

New bands and artists who are bursting out on the scene will be chosen by both CenterStaging and Billboard to appear in the lively online features, recorded in high-definition at CenterStaging's state-of-the-art facilities in Burbank, CA, utilizing 12 robotically controlled cameras and 48 microphones with up to 96 individual channels of audio. The premier music industry roundtables and summits will occur at a variety of venues, focusing on major issues facing the entertainment industry and featuring some of the best and brightest movers, shakers and decision-makers in the business.

'Our agreement with CenterStaging is the perfect extension of the Billboard brand,' says Tamara Conniff, Billboard's Executive Editor and Associate Publisher. 'We are deeply committed to the discovery of emerging artists across all genres of music, and CenterStaging will provide the ultimate facilities to showcase these talented musicians. We're also excited to work with this highly regarded entertainment company to produce riveting roundtable discussions and other cutting-edge industry events for music enthusiasts around the world.'

'The Billboard name and brand has been synonymous with music in the minds of not only the industry but the public for as long as I can remember,' states Tommy Nast, Executive Vice President, CenterStaging. 'To be able to work creatively with that brand, Tamara Conniff and their team is a tremendous opportunity. We will create content together that will be compelling, entertaining and ahead of the curve!'

Each of these brand new performances, interviews and events produced in conjunction with Billboard will join the prestigious line-up of talent currently showcasing live footage on rehearsals.com, including Tom Petty, Taylor Hicks, Norah Jones, The Panic Channel, Ozomatli and James Taylor. In addition, the site showcases 'e-merging' artists such as Dark New Day, Sick Puppies, Jack's Mannequin and Tremolo. rehearsals.com also features insightful interviews and private clinics with legendary sidemen and studio greats who have logged time with Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Dr. Dre and Fiona Apple.