Image source: The Late Late Show with James Corden
LOS ANGELES: CBS Corp. will produce a TV series based on its popular late-night Carpool Karaoke skit for Apple Inc.'s online music service, the latest sign of technology giant's growing appetite for original video.
The series will consist of 16 episodes, each with a celebrity riding along with a to-be-announced host, the companies said Tuesday in a statement. New episodes will debut weekly for Apple Music subscribers in more than 100 countries. They didn’t announce a start date but said production would begin soon.
Carpool Karaoke is a popular segment on CBS’ “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” in which the host drives around singing karaoke with celebrities like First Lady Michelle Obama and singer Stevie Wonder. Apple is investing in video to help its music service attract customers and stand out from Spotify and YouTube.
The company previously said it would release a video series set in the world of apps and a series based on the life of hip-hop mogul Dr. Dre.
Carpool Karaoke has been a big hit on the Internet, with more than 830 million views on YouTube since its debut a year ago. A clip with Adele drew 119 million views in six months
“It's a perfect fit for Apple Music - bringing subscribers exclusive access to their favorite artists and celebrities who come along for the ride,” said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services.
