Jesusfreakhideout.com Music News, August 2010: SKILLET GOES GOLD WITH “AWAKE”; GRAMMY-NOMINATED ROCKERS RECEIVE CERTIFICATION AS “HERO” SAVES THE DAY AT ACTIVE ROCK

SKILLET GOES GOLD WITH “AWAKE”;
GRAMMY-NOMINATED ROCKERS
RECEIVE CERTIFICATION
AS “HERO” SAVES THE DAY AT ACTIVE ROCK

Extensive Tour Now Underway with Headline Festival Appearances, Dates Supporting Creed, Fall Co-Headlining Tour with Papa Roach and Awake Tonight Tour with TobyMac

NEWS SOURCE: The M Collective
August 26, 2010

In a fast and furious 10 months, “AWAKE,” the latest album from Atlantic/Ardent/INO recording group Skillet, has been certified gold by the RIAA for sales in excess of 500,000. The album – which includes two Active Rock radio blockbusters in the top 5 hit, “Monster,” which also ranked in at No. 2 at Christian Rock, and the top 12 smash and No. 1 CHR and Christian Rock hit, “Hero” – continues to reign as a hard rock favorite, standing strong in the upper half of the Billboard 200. The band just released their latest single at Christian radio, “Forgiven.”

Produced by Howard Benson (Three Days Grace, Daughtry, Flyleaf), “AWAKE” reached the #1 spot on the iTunes Store’s “Top Albums” chart within 24 hours of its release last August. The album also made a blockbuster debut on the SoundScan/Billboard 200, entering the chart at #2.

Skillet is currently on the road as part of Creed’s “20-10 Tour,” with dates continuing through early September. In addition, the Grammy-nominated rock outfit will be among the top artists appearing at a number of upcoming summer festivals, including a headline slot on the “Rock The River” festival tour of Western Canada. Beginning October 1st, Skillet will join Papa Roach for the co-headline Monsters Of Annihilation Tour also featuring Trapt and My Darkest Days. The highly anticipated 16-city Awake Tonight Tour with TobyMac and presented by Winter Wonder Slam, will launch November 11 in Springfield, IL and carry through until December 12. For complete tour details and ticket information, please visit www.skillet.com.

Photos Included: Atlantic Records surprised Skillet with a gold plaque presentation at their offices in New York City. Anthony Delia (Senior Director, A&R / Marketing, Atlantic Records), Ben Kasica , Craig Kallman (Chairman/CEO,Atlantic Records), Jen Ledger, John Cooper, Korey Cooper, Julie Greenwald(Chairman/ COOAtlantic Records), Zach Kelm (President, Q Management Group), Livia Tortella (General Manager & Executive Vice President, Atlantic Records)

One of America’s hardest working live acts, Skillet spent the first part of 2010 touring alongside Atlantic labelmates Shinedown, as well as co-headlining the hugely successful debut of the Awake Tonight Tour with TobyMac. Skillet’s headline tours ranked with Pollstar’s Concert Pulse Top 50 Tours and recently landed the band on the cover of the magazine. In addition, the band has shared stages with such acts as Flyleaf, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Seether, and Puddle of Mudd.

“Hero” has received an array of high-profile placements, including THQ’s WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 video game. Various tracks from “AWAKE” have received major TV placements including NBC Sunday Night Football, NBC's "The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania” and MTV's “Bully Beatdown.”

In addition to cumulative album sales now approaching 2 million, Skillet has racked up a wide range of honors throughout their extraordinary career, including multiple Grammy nominations and two BMI Music Award wins for “The Last Night” and “The Older I Get,” both featured on the gold certified COMATOSE.

For up-to-the-minute news and information, visit www.skillet.com or www.myspace.com/skilletmusic.