EMI Music — the world’s largest independent music company — recently announced plans to partner with Walt Disney Studios and Walden Media to produce two soundtracks of music inspired by what is one of 2005’s most anticipated films, a live action adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ best-selling classic, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
EMI Music’s Nashville-based EMI CMG will release both “inspired by” soundtracks and has announced an all-star line up for the first in the series of releases: an Inspirational soundtrack CD, Music Inspired By: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, featuring recordings from artists that combined have sold in excess of 23 million albums.
Five-time Grammy Award Winner Steven Curtis Chapman leads the pack with the project’s debut single and video, “Remembering You,” which will release to Christian radio formats nationwide on August 5th. Jars of Clay, Jeremy Camp, TobyMac, Nichole Nordeman, Rebecca St. James, Delirious, Kutless, Bethany Dillon, Chris Tomlin and David Crowder Band round-out the line up thus far.
The Inspirational CD will release on September 27th, 2005. A second soundtrack of songs inspired by the film will release October 25th and feature mainstream pop and rock artists.
Regarding his participation in the soundtrack, Steven Curtis Chapman commented, “So much has already been brilliantly communicated by C.S. Lewis with this story, so writing for it was kind of an overwhelming task,” said Steven Curtis Chapman. “This story leaves me with wanting to remember what it means to experience Spring or new life. “Remembering You” is a song from the perspective of a lot of the characters at the end of the story saying, ‘whenever I see the first signs of spring, I’ll be remembering you, Aslan, the story and what is to come.'”
“EMI CMG’s partnership with Disney and Walden Media holds an unprecedented visibility and marketing opportunity for the participating artists, allowing their music to reach a global audience,” stated EMI CMG’s President and CEO, Bill Hearn. “Disney and Walden Media have shown a tremendous amount of passion for the music and we are excited for them to incorporate this ever-expanding genre that perfectly compliments the theme of the film.”
Promotions for the Inspirational Inspired-by project began recently, when HarperCollins, publisher of the Chronicles of Narnia book series hosted a celebration in New York for the forthcoming movie release in conjunction with the American Booksellers Association. Sparrow Records singer/songwriter Bethany Dillon premiered her song, “Hero,” from the project at that celebration. (*note: see attached photo and caption information below)
Promotions will also include soundtrack music being featured as part of the interactive marketing plans with www.narnia.com and its development of NarniaMusic.com, which will feature artist interviews, shots from the studio, song samples, promotions and more.
EMI CMG has large presence at summer Christian music festivals impacting over 250,000 consumers with the film trailer.
Further, EMI CMG is integrating their marketing efforts for a joint partnership alongside Disney Film Marketing, creating a domestic and Global focus to raise awareness and sales opportunities in all major territories to include the U.S., Holland, the UK, Australia, Italy, Germany, Canada, and Japan. Part of this marketing effort will include unprecedented merchandising tools available to retailers with a floor display, end cap kits, banners, and the creation of a “wardrobe” full of product featuring CDs, books, and video games.
“It’s a pleasure to participate in the production and release of this album with EMI CMG,” said Mitchell Leib, President, Music & Soundtracks Walt Disney Pictures and Television/ Buena Vista Music Group. “This record features a who’s who of format super stars such as Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, Nichole Nordeman and Jars of Clay. It’s also a great first collaborated effort from the combined worldwide forces of Disney and EMI for what is going to be the most multi formatted, music supported motion picture of the year.”
The Lion,The Witch and The Wardrobe, first published in 1950, is the second and best-known novel in the seven-part Chronicles of Narnia series by noted Oxford author C.S. Lewis. The series has sold more than 85 million books globally to date and has been published in 29 different languages.
The film, produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, will be released worldwide on December 9. A trailer for the movie can be seen at: http://movies.channel.aol.com/franchise/exclusives/chronicles_of_narnia_…
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is directed by Andrew Adamson, who also directed the Academy Award winning animated film Shrek and Shrek 2, produced by Academy Award winning Mark Johnson (Rain Man), with a screenplay by Emmy Award winning Ann Peacock (A Kiss Before Dying), and special effects provided by WETA, the winner of four Academy Awards for The Lord of The Rings.
For more information about The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, log on to: http://www.narnia.com
EMI Music is the world’s largest independent music company, operating in nearly 50 countries around the world. Its record labels include Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capitol, EMI, EMI Classics, EMI CMG, Manhattan, Mute, Parlophone and Virgin.
Buy The Chronicles of Narnia products!
From our archives 6/21/5
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Past Watchful Dragons Conference Earns High Marks
Stepson of C.S. Lewis Talks about Narnia
Music Inspired by: The Chronicles of Narnia
Past Watchful Dragons at Belmont U.
CS Lewis – Back Into the Wardrobe
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe at Lamplighter Theater
