Today, Taco Bell announced the call for entries for its 2011 Feed the Beat program, giving 100 artists $500 in Taco Bell gift cards to keep their hunger satisfied on the road while also providing unique marketing support to further enhance their career. To sign up, artists can go online now through Friday, September 9, at http://www.feedthebeat.com. The lineup will be announced on Monday, September 26. Great music, free food, that’s Feed the Beat.
For Philadelphia hip-hip duo Chiddy Bang, being a Taco Bell Feed the Beat artist meant more than the free Taco Bell Fourthmeal. Following their online entry and selection into the 2010 Feed the Beat line-up, Chiddy Bang’s song “The Good Life” was featured in a national Taco Bell TV commercial and Taco Bell hosted a special hometown concert that was streamed live, alongside other exclusive content, to the seven million fans on Taco Bell’s Facebook page. As a result, Chiddy Bang saw a 330 percent increase in “The Good Life” downloads the first week after the Taco Bell commercial aired.
"We have nothing but love for our Taco Bell family,” says Chiddy, Chiddy Bang. “Their Feed the Beat program really supports music and young artists, and we are so thankful for all the opportunities they have presented us."
Feed the Beat began as an organic effort to help feed up-and-coming artists on tour already hungry for Fourthmeal, giving them $500 in Taco Bell gift cards. Now in its sixth year, the program has expanded beyond just food, leveraging the brand’s relationships with its network partners, sports sponsorships, and MTV – as well as supporting the artists through its strong online presence.
For artists looking to sign up, here’s a snapshot of those five years of support:
- Taco Bell has fed 365 artists with $500 in Taco Bell gift cards, the equivalent of over 180,000 Taco Bell Bean Burritos (2007-2011)
- Chiddy Bang became the first Feed the Beat artist to be featured in a national Taco Bell commercial (2011)
- The Taco Bell Truck (@TacoBellTruck) starred in Feed the Beat artist New Found Glory’s music video, “Truck Stop Blues” (2010)
- Taco Bell and Feed the Beat booked showcases at Austin’s biggest music festival, featuring multiple program artists at a “Feed the Beat” showcase and giving out free food to festival attendees (2010, 2011)
- Taco Bell produced singles for “Best of the Beat” winners Hit the Lights, Thousand Foot Krutch, and Fireflight, giving them valuable exposure to even more audiences (2009)
What does it take to make it into the Feed the Beat program? Feed the Beat artists are selected by a panel of judges based on performance and musicianship, originality and material selection, as well as overall appeal and personality. Through the submission, artists also have the opportunity to express their hunger for Taco Bell and share their own stories about eating Fourthmeal while touring.
Artists from across the country that are touring this fall can apply by filling out an online submission form now through Friday, Sept. 9, at http://www.feedthebeat.com. Eligible artists need to have a dedicated fan base, be on tour during the fall, and have a dedicated Web page. For more information and a copy of the official rules, artists can check out http://www.feedthebeat.com for the entire artist submission criteria and guidelines. Previous Feed the Beat artists include: Passion Pit, Girl Talk, The Black Angels, The Gaslight Anthem, Cults, Andrew W.K., Best Coast, Portugal. The Man, Wavves, Dr. Dog, and more.
