Hackensack Meridian Health Launches Radio Station on Pandora

Hackensack Meridian Health launches Life Years Ahead Radio, a station specially curated by Pandora which features pop, rock and country hits by recording artists including Kelly Clarkson, Ed Sheeran, as well as emerging artists such as Nicole Atkins and Maren Morris.

This station is the first healthcare brand station in the New York market.

“We are so excited to be releasing our new station with our partner Pandora,’’ said Robert C. Garrett, co-CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “It’s a great fit. Pandora is a company based on innovation and personalizing the music experience, similar to how we approach our mission with the same sense of discovery and commitment to exceptional, personalized care and enhancing the quality of life in our communities.’’

Network executives officially launched the station Wednesday, September 20, with the first-ever Pandora hospital radio launch, taking place at Hackensack University Medical Center. The event featured a performance by emerging artist Nicole Atkins, whose work is inspired by Dusty Springfield, Candi Staton and Janis Joplin.

“I am honored to be part of this unique partnership between Hackensack Meridian Health and Pandora,’’ said Atkins, who released her latest album Goodnight Rhonda Lee in July. “Music helps people so much. It’s good for the soul. Music and well-being – that includes mind, body and soul – are essential partners along the path to healing.’’

Increasingly, experts are documenting the impact of music on the healing process – how it can calm patients, ease pain, and provide a pleasant diversion during treatment or a hospital stay. A growing body of research proves music can improve outcomes in many ways: it can reduce the amount of sedatives needed for procedures; quell nausea and ease anxiety in patients receiving chemotherapy, and improve sleeping and eating habits of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The new station targets listeners well beyond Hackensack Meridian Health’s hospitals.  The healthcare entity says that music has a transformative power whether it enhances chores or a long drive, life’s milestones or even workouts.

“One of our goals is to connect with people where they are and to be part of their daily life, even when they are not thinking about health,’’ said John K. Lloyd, co-CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “Our Life Years Ahead Radio lets our brand personality shine through in maybe an unexpected way.’’

Pandora is powered by its exclusive Music Genome Project. Their team of trained musicologists study and collect musical details on every track – melody, harmony, rhythm, form, composition and lyrics – 450 musical attributes in all. The result is claimed to be the best, most personalized listening experience available – a combination of favorites and a connection to new music a listener may not have discovered alone.

The playlist uniquely created for Life Years Ahead Radio was selected from the top genres from across New Jersey and the New York City market. Eighty songs – light rock, pop and country – will play and include listener favorites. The playlist will also allow listeners to discover new music from emerging artists.

“Music has this transformative ability to connect to meaningful moments,’’ said Chrisie Scott, chief marketing officer at Hackensack Meridian Health. “As a health and life brand, and knowing the rich research that went into defining our brand, we are thrilled to offer this new radio station to our community, mindful of the power of music and its impact in our daily lives.’’

Medicine, likewise, is becoming increasingly personalized. Hackensack Meridian Health says its takes an innovative approach which tailors disease prevention and treatment to a person’s genes, environment and lifestyle whenever possible. For instance, cancer patients undergo molecular testing to help oncologists select treatments to improve survival rates and reduce exposure to adverse effects. The goal is to target the right treatments to the right patient and the right time.

“Life Years Ahead Radio allows us to continue our role as innovator – and that includes making discoveries well beyond medicine,’’ Garrett said. “It’s really about enhancing the mind, body and soul.’’

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