Hitmaking Producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis Score 14th No. 1 Hit Song

Business Wire, August 31, 2000

Entertainment Editors

NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Aug. 31, 2000

Silver Screen Hit "Doesn't Really Matter" Continue Legendary Duo's

Foray Into Film and Television Projects

Ranked At No. 3 Of All Time At Producing The Most No. 1 Hit Records

Legendary hit-makers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis - known for their work with TLC, Janet Jackson, Boyz II Men and countless others - have entered into a joint venture with Arista Records, it was announced yesterday by Antonio "L.A." Reid, President and CEO, Arista Records.

Jam & Lewis, the co-heads of Flyte Tyme Records, have entered into an exclusive three-year joint venture agreement with the label, who will now take over all marketing, promotion, sales and distribution responsibilities for Flyte Tyme.

Under terms of the agreement, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will also produce artists on Arista and its other labels. The duo will continue to produce new and established artists for Flyte Tyme Records, which is based in Los Angeles.

The Grammy-Award winning duo has even more than that to celebrate, the legendary producers have scored their 14th No. 1 hit with Janet Jackson's "Doesn't Really Matter," song from the Nutty Professor II:The Klumps soundtrack. The songwriting/producing duo are the only contemporary producers to achieve consistent No. 1 hit records in three consecutive decades -- 80's, 90's and the millennium. Previously tied at No. 4 with Albhy Galuten (producer of the Bee Gees) of producing the most No. 1 hit records, "Doesn't Really Matter," moves the hitmaking duo to the No. 3 position. The only producers/songwriters preceding them in rank are George Martin (23 No.1 Hits) and Elvis Presley's producer Steve Sholes (16 No. 1 hits), both of the 50's and 60's rock music era. In fact, in the last twenty years no one has produced more No. 1 pop hits than Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.

The "Doesn't Really Matter" single was written and produced by Jam & Lewis exclusively for Nutty Professor II:The Klumps and soared to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 (Pop) Charts and has stayed there ever since, making it three consecutive weeks now. The single has also marked Jam & Lewis' 38th Top 10 Pop Hit (14 of which have reached No. 1). The songwriting/producing team recently made history when Mariah Carey's "Thank God I Found You" climbed the top of the charts (making it their 13th No. 1 pop hit), but "Doesn't Really Matter" helped break yet another record set by the hitmakers.

Jam & Lewis' midas touch is nothing new to the silver screen. They scored their first Top 10 hit song in 1986 with the Force MDs "Tender Love" for the movie Krush Groove and then in 1993 with Janet Jackson's "Again" for the movie Poetic Justice (which soared to No. 1 and was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award). In 1998, Jam & Lewis executive produced the gold soundtrack to the blockbuster How Stella Got Her Groove Back, which featured the rarest collaborations from music industry's biggest stars.

Continuing their progressive move into film and television projects, the team is currently in the studio collaborating as executive producers with Mariah Carey on original songs for the soundtrack to her movie, All That Glitters, which is currently being filmed. Similarly, they are producing a song titled "My Funny Friend and Me" for Sting for the Disney movie The Emperor's New Groove; and an original song titled "Free," performed by Mya for the soundtrack to the upcoming Jamie Foxx movie, Bait, which opens on September 15.

Other projects include writing and producing with Janet Jackson for her upcoming album; six songs on Patti Labelle's forthcoming album (produced by Jam & Lewis and written by Diane Warren); writing and collaborating with fellow Grammy winner and producer Babyface for his upcoming album and three songs including a rendition of Michael Jackson's classic "Shake Your Body To The Ground" for reggae star Shaggy's album, "Hot Shot."

In addition to jam & Lewis' No. 1 pop chart successes with Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson this year, Gospel Superstar Yolanda Adams has also benefited from the Jam & Lewis touch. Her Grammy Award winning album "Mountain High Valley Low" has held the No. 1 position on both Billboard's Contemporary Christian and Gospel charts for much of the year. The team's produced song "Open My Heart" has been the No. 1 song on Urban Adult Radio for the past 2 months.