New York, NY (March 2006) – Billboard, the world’s most trusted source of music, video and digital entertainment news, charts, reviews and analysis, announced today that Little Steven Van Zandt has joined Billboard as a columnist. The exclusive weekly column and chart titled “Little Steven’s Underground Garage,” will focus on garage rock, a genre of music that begins with a common spirit that at any given moment might include adventure, desperation, truth-seeking, frustration-venting, and just plain fun. Under that broad emotional umbrella, garage rock encompasses everything from classic rock and edgy punk to rock n’ roll and ‘60s-style girl-group teen pop.

"Having Garage Rock represented in Billboard magazine is a dream come true for those of us supporting new rock and roll and the hundreds of new bands creating it," says Van Zandt.

Since his earliest days as a musician, Little Steven has been a champion of garage rock, an edgy musical genre with a lineage extending back to the legendary Ray Davies, up through The Ramones and The Strokes.

His radio show, “Little Steven's Underground Garage,” debuted in 2002 with just 20 affiliates and now reaches 1.2 million listeners in 200 markets in North America alone. Internationally, the show airs in Singapore, Copenhagen, Rome, Stokholm, and around the globe via Voice of America.

Van Zandt also created and programs two channels on Sirius Satellite Radio, the 24/7 Underground Garage, which is his Rock and Roll format, and the 24/7 Outlaw Country channel, which is his Country Music format.

Offering an engaging mix of groundbreaking music, insider information, and interviews with music legends such as Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson and Iggy pop, “Underground Garage” was recently described by Rolling Stone as “mind-blowingly awesome.”

Little Steven’s new column will be an extension of successful radio show, and will deliver all things newsworthy in the sexy world of Garageland.

Some highlights will include:

•?“Coolest Garage Songs chart” – Little Steven’s list of the top ten garage songs of the week.
•?“Coolest Garage Albums chart” - Little Steven’s list of the top ten garage albums of the week.
•??The latest news and information about the most cutting edge rock music.

“Little Steven is the ultimate rock n’ roll renaissance man.” said Tamara Conniff, Billboard’s executive editor and associate publisher. “For the last three years, he has introduced listeners of his critically acclaimed radio show to the best underground garage music in the world. Now, he’ll be doing the same for Billboard readers.”

Aside from being a pioneer of garage rock music and a founding member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Little Steven is perhaps best known for his current role on the hit HBO show, “The Sopranos,” where he plays Tony Soprano’s taciturn consigliere, Silvio Dante. Now in its sixth season, “The Sopranos” is watched by over 9.5 million viewers.