How UM and MBCS partnered with Amex to powerfully back the next generation of UK Music

Client: American Express

At a time when algorithms are making it increasingly difficult for emerging artists to reach new audiences, Amex identified an opportunity to play a meaningful role within music culture. Rather than simply sponsor music, the brand set out to help solve one of the industry's biggest challenges: artist discovery.

With media and creative teams co-designing from the start, Amex Unsigned was created as a first-of-its-kind platform connecting undiscovered talent directly with music fans passionate about finding what is next. Bringing its "Powerful Backing" promise to life, Amex offered emerging artists access to mentoring, live performance opportunities, distribution support and exposure through national brand activity. To deliver a solution with genuine industry impact, Amex assembled a coalition of partners including TikTok SoundOn, Featured Artists Coalition, AEG Presents and Music Venue Trust. Together, they built an ecosystem spanning artist recruitment, development, amplification and live experiences. The programme also supported the refurbishment of an iconic grassroots music venue, creating a lasting space for mentoring, collaboration and performance. Thousands of artists entered the programme, with seven selected by industry experts to participate in 2025. The chosen artists performed at major music events and showcases across the UK, while benefiting from professional development opportunities designed to help accelerate their careers. By creating a new route to discovery that combined human curation, digital distribution and live performance, Amex demonstrated how a brand can go beyond marketing to create meaningful value for both audiences and the wider music industry, with incredible artist and brand results.