Amazon Music harnesses the power of music in bold fight against cancer

Amazon Music and WPP is harnessing the power of music in recognition of World Cancer Day with its recent "Louder than cancer" campaign. 

The campaign, created in collaboration with WPP's Grey Health, talent marketing agency FIMI Group and Amazon Ads Brand Innovation Lab, leverages the power of music to create hope for millions increasingly affected by cancer. 

Central to "Louder than cancer" is an Amazon Music playlist featuring a diverse lineup of established and emerging artists including Melissa Etheridge, Imagine Dragons, H.E.R and Blake Shelton. For every stream of the songs in the playlist, Amazon Music will donate US$1 (up to US$100,000) to Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, through the Amazon 'Stream It Forward' program, further amplifying the impact of the initiative. 

Each track on the playlist is interwoven with powerful personal stories from artists and the very sound of cancer cells being destroyed.

Don't miss: Breast Cancer Foundation creates moving song 'Ibu' for Malay women 

"Louder than cancer" builds upon the impactful “The most beautiful sound” campaign, which captured the sound of cancer cells being destroyed, offering an inspiring symbol of hope and progress in the fight against the disease. The sound was first unveiled during the oncology community’s preeminent professional conference in June 2023. This provocative sound will now take on a whole new dimension amplified by the voices of renowned artists.

In addition to a playlist, Amazon Music and Amazon Ads Brand Innovation Lab has created custom merchandise that features all the artists participating in the initiative.

The design on the front of the shirt merges the imagery of a cancer cell being destroyed with a dynamic sound wave to symbolise the fight against cancer through music as a universal language. The sound wave can also be customised in real time by speaking through a special tool. The back design features an inspiring lineup of artists and brands who have joined the "Louder than cancer" movement. 

The Amazon Ads Brand Innovation Lab is amplifying the “Louder than cancer” campaign with a custom landing page on Amazon.com, placements across FireTV, and a billboard in Times Square in New York City.

“‘Louder than cancer’ is a powerful demonstration of what it means to pair innovation with worthy social causes. We were thrilled to work with Amazon Music, WPP, and musicians around the world to bring hope to so many people impacted by cancer," said Kate McCagg, director, Brand Innovation Lab, Amazon Ads. 

“We are so honored to work with Amazon Music and Amazon Ads on this monumental campaign to take the message of hope and resilience to patients and their caregivers in search of progress in this scourge of a disease,” added Wendy Lund, chief client officer, Health@WPP.

“By integrating the sound of cancer cells being destroyed into powerful musical tracks, we are offering a tangible symbol of progress and a source of inspiration for those facing this extremely challenging journey," added Lund. 

Andre Stapleton, global head of artist and label relations and head of music for North America at Amazon Music expressed his excitement to come together with artists from around the globe to support "Louder than cancer". "Music has the power to connect, inspire, and heal. We believe this campaign and the incredible artists we’ve been fortunate to work with will make a meaningful contribution in the fight against cancer by bringing awareness and fundraising to help find a cure for this terrible disease," said Stapleton. 

"Cancer treatment can save lives, but music has a unique power—it reaches the heart in ways medicine alone cannot. It connects to our emotions, bringing comfort, strength, and hope when we need it most," stated Bruno Rebelo, executive creative director of Grey Health New York.

Meanwhile, Bruce Flohr, partner at FIMI Group and EVP at Red Light Management believes that the campaign will have a global impact in raising awareness that music is louder than cancer. "This is a chance to make a real difference through the power of music and connect with fans on a deeper level," he added. 

This isn't the first time music has been leveraged to raise awareness on the disease. In November last year, Breast Cancer Foundation collaborated with DDB Group Singapore to unveil a stirring rendition of P. Ramlee's iconic song, 'Ibu', transforming it into a powerful anthem to propel the fight against breast cancer.

In a moving tribute that honours mothers' selfless love, the campaign titled "Voices for Ibu" strikes a chord to increase breast cancer screening uptake among Malay women. The poignant reworking of the lyrics underscores the importance of self-care and early detection.

The campaign is a response to the alarming statistic that less than 20% of Malay women in Singapore undergo mammograms, despite the fact that one in 13 women will face a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. 'Voices for Ibu' seeks to break down barriers and encourage screenings, particularly among older Malay women.

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