By David Hormell
After launching TikTok Radio earlier this month, iHeartMedia and TikTok have partnered with Atlantic Records in one of the format’s first major initiatives: to redefine what an album launch looks like in the streaming era.
The result: the launch by TikTok Radio of “Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars: An iHeartRadio Album Preview,” which streamed live on @brunomars, @iheartradio, and @tiktok. The pop-up audio offering offered fans an early release of Bruno Mars’ first solo album in a decade, entitled The Romantic. The stream was promoted on over 270 stations and broadcast on over 145 iHeartRadio stations nationwide on February 26.
Ahead of his album’s worldwide release, Bruno invited fans to share their love stories for the chance to receive song dedications or advice during the stream. Surprise guests calling in during the early release included past collaborators Anderson .Paak and ROSÉ. Victoria Monét, who is slated to be the special guest on his upcoming summer tour, also called in during the stream.
Was the event a success? According to iHeartMedia, the event reached 36 million likes within the hour and “a record-breaking number of unique viewers.” Bruno’s album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Mars’ Manager Aaron Elharar commented, “Bruno wanted the release of The Romantic to feel personal, and “Romantic Radio” did exactly that. This was the first time he sat down to discuss the album, and it gave him the chance to share that moment directly with his fans. Partnering with iHeartMedia and TikTok enabled us to make that connection truly count, turning one live conversation into a global event.”
Tom Poleman, iHeartMedia’s Chief Programming Officer, added, “The iHeartMedia–TikTok album release format signals a broader shift: from passive distribution to an interactive cultural moment that delivered deeper engagement and set record-breaking results. By pairing iHeartMedia’s scale and listener engagement with TikTok’s cultural momentum, we’ve created a new kind of album launch – one that turns a release into an event. This is more than a partnership; it’s a model for how artists can debut music, tours, even a new single in a more immersive, measurable, and impactful way.”
For TikTok Head of LIVE Operations Shen Gao, “The experience created a space where Bruno’s community could discover his new music together in real time – reacting, celebrating, and joining the conversation as it unfolded.”
