[ 2016-10-10 ] LOS ANGELES — The fourth year of the Songwriters Hall of Fame Master Sessions series kicks off on October 14 at USA Thornton School with an intimate discussion with Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds, a Universal Music Publishing Group and BMI songwriter, and Evan Lamberg, UMPG President – North America. Reynolds is the recipient of the Songwriters Hall of Fame's 2014 prestigious Hal David Starlight Award which recognizes young songwriters who have shown great songwriting potential early in their careers.

Moderator Chris Sampson, Vice Dean of Contemporary Music at USC Thornton School, will do a Q&A exploring the songwriting craft, creative process and evolution of Imagine Dragons into the global superstar act it is today, followed by musical tributes by USC Thornton students. Students will also have opportunity to play original songs and receive critique and coaching by Reynolds and Lamberg. The event is not open to the public and is an exclusive to USC students as an educational part of their curriculum.

Reynolds and the band, who were signed to UMPG by Lamberg as part of the company’s joint venture with Imagine Dragons’ producer Alex Da Kid, have released the studio albums, Night Visions, and Smoke + Mirrors, which have sold millions garnered numerous hit, multi-million selling singles including “Radioactive,” “Demons,” “It’s Time,” “On Top of The World,” and “I Bet My Life” from both albums. The success of the songs and popularity of the band have soared, and UMPG has licensed over 900+ songs for use worldwide in film, TV, advertising, games and other media.

Night Visions peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and UK Albums Chart. The album became the fourth best-selling album of 2013 in the US. It was nominated for a 2014 Juno Award for International Album of the Year and won the 2014 Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Album. The band's second studio album Smoke + Mirrors reached No.1 on the Billboard 200, Canadian Albums Chart, and UK Albums Chart. Imagine Dragons has won two American Music Awards for Favorite Alternative Artist, a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance, five Billboard Music Awards, and a World Music Award. Billboard placed Imagine Dragons at the top of their "Year In Rock" rankings for 2013 and named them their "Breakthrough Band of 2013." Rolling Stone named their single "Radioactive" from Night Visions "the biggest rock hit of the year."

Master Sessions, a successful program in its fourth year sponsored by The Songwriters Hall of Fame and USC Thornton School, is a key component of USC’s Popular Music Forum and one of The Songwriters Hall of Fame West Coast committee’s educational outreach programs geared to expose the music community and aspiring hit makers to the history, knowledge and life lessons of some of the greatest tunesmith’s of our time. Previous Master Sessions at USC have featured Songwriter Hall of Fame Inductees and Special Award Winners Desmond Child, Linda Perry, Bill Withers, David Foster, Billy Steinberg, Benny Blanco, Graham Nash, Donovan and Ralph Peer.

Hailed by Rolling Stone as “the cutting-edge department that’s become the site of Los Angeles’ most productive new music scenes,” the Popular Music Program at the USC Thornton School of Music is a unique music degree program providing immersion into a creative environment that stresses the musical skills required for the successful, professional 21st century musician.