NBC’s confirmed Songland will be returning for a second season. The first season of the songwriting competition series has been averaging 5.1 million viewers and is the most-watched new alternative series of the summer, per NBC.
Songland‘s first season has launched a series of hit songs from aspiring songwriters. Six winners’ songs from the first season have made it to the top spot on the iTunes music chart. Among the hit songs are “Greenlight” by Jonas Brothers which made it to the #1 spot on the iTunes Overall Charts. Kelsea Ballerini selected “Better Luck Next Time” as the winning song during her episode, and that song earned the top position on the iTunes Pop Chart and the #2 spot on the iTunes Overall Charts.
Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am chose all three of the finalists’ songs to record on the group’s next album. Snoop Dogg was featured on one track, “Be Nice,” which took the #1 spot on the iTunes Rock Charts immediately after its release.
Macklemore chose aspiring songwriter IRO’s “Shadow” to record and brought IRO in as a featured artist on the track. “Shadow” ft. IRO was the #1 song on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap Chart after Macklemore’s Songland episode.
Leona Lewis selected “Solo Quiero (Somebody to Love)” as the winning song during her episode and brought in Latin musicians Cali y El Dandee and Juan Magan as featured artists. “Solo Quiero” hit #1 on the iTunes Latino Chart after Lewis’ episode.
EGOT winner John Legend recorded “We Need Love” from his episode, and that song reached the #1 spot on the iTunes R&B Chart.
Season one also gave the songwriters the opportunity to vie for the chance to have their songs featured in a Jeep commercial and the feature film, Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw.
Songland is executive produced by Audrey Morrissey, Ivan Dudynsky, Dave Stewart, Chad Hines, and Adam Levine. Ryan Tedder and Josh Gummersall serve as producers.
Songwriters interested in competing on season two should visit www.songlandcasting.com to apply.
Songland Details, Courtesy of NBC:
The series’ innovative format takes an inside look at the creative process behind songwriting, and each episode provides one up-and-coming songwriter the opportunity to have their song recorded by a chart-topping artist and released immediately after the episode airs worldwide. Songland season one guest recording artists include Jonas Brothers, John Legend, Meghan Trainor, Macklemore, Charlie Puth, Kelsea Ballerini, will.i.am, OneRepublic, Aloe Blacc, Old Dominion and Leona Lewis.
The show features powerhouse producer-mentors Ryan Tedder (lead singer of OneRepublic and Grammy Award-winning producer of Adele, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Jonas Brothers), Ester Dean (Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer of Rihanna, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj), and Shane McAnally (Grammy-winning songwriter and producer of Kacey Musgraves, Kelly Clarkson and Sam Hunt with 40 #1 country records).
