U2 to Receive iHeartRadio Innovator Award
The iHeartRadio Music Awards will honor U2 for their contributions to the music industry and social causes with a 2016 iHeartRadio Innovator Award during the awards show, which will be broadcast live in April.
“U2 is a band of activists, not only in music, but in politics, popular culture and human rights,” John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia, said in a statement. “They began as a punk band and that attitude still runs strong throughout their songwriting, albums and live performances. They will never stop testing the limits, and that’s why we are honored to recognize them with this Innovator Award.”
U2 – Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. – are celebrating their 40th year together and are nominated in the Best Tour category.
“It is extremely rare to have a band that has spent four decades not only changing music, but helping change the world with their tireless dedication to important social causes focusing on AIDS, poverty, cancer, the environment, Hurricane Katrina and much more,” Tom Poleman, President of National Programming Group for iHeartMedia, added in the statement. “We’re thrilled to be able to honor U2 with the 2016 iHeartRadio Innovator Award.”
In its third year, iHeartRadio Music Awards honors music that has been heard throughout the year on the company’s radio stations and via its app. The show will feature performances by Justin Bieber, Meghan Trainor, Zayn Malik, Chris Brown, Fetty Wap, Demi Lovato and others. Performances from Pitbull and Maroon 5 will be simulcast from JamFest, which takes place in Houston, TX, and is a part of the March Madness Music Festival. There will also be first-time collaborations and celebrity guest appearances.
Fans’ votes, which can be cast on iHeartRadio’s website, will determine some of the awards given out during the ceremony, including “Best Fan Army,” “Best Lyrics,” “Best Collaboration,” “Best Cover Song,” “Best Song from a Movie,” “Most Meme-Able Moment” and “Biggest Triple Threat Awards.” Voting will be open through March 25th, with “Best Fan Army” and Most Meme-Able Moment” voting running all the way through to the evening of the awards on April 3rd.
In other U2 news, the band has begun work on its next record. Edge was in a Los Angeles studio in late March, where he was embarking on the beginning stages of the album.
The iHeartRadio Music Awards will air live on TBS, TNT and truTV at 8 p.m. ET on April 3rd.