For more than six decades, Motown Records has helped launch some of the biggest names in music. Now, the iconic label is turning its attention to the next generation—not of performers, but of industry executives. This week, Motown announced the launch of its New Legends Internship Program, a new initiative aimed at creating direct pathways for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to break into the music business.
According to The Source, the program's inaugural class will take part in a 10-week immersive experience running from June 8 through August 14. Participants will work across several core areas of the company, including marketing, creative services, digital strategy, and A&R. In addition to hands-on projects, students will receive mentorship from industry professionals and gain firsthand exposure to the day-to-day operations that drive a modern record label.
The move arrives during Black Music Month and reflects a broader effort to expand access to an industry where career opportunities often depend on connections and proximity. Motown's first New Legends cohort includes students from Howard University, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Spelman College. The label says the goal is to help students develop both the skills and professional networks needed to build long-term careers in entertainment.
"Motown has always been committed to discovering and developing talent that shapes culture," Dante Smith, SVP of Marketing and Head of Motown Digital, said in a statement. "With New Legends, we're extending that legacy beyond artists and into the future executives, creatives, marketers and innovators who will help define the next era of the music industry."
That focus on development has been part of Motown's DNA since the label's earliest days. Founded by Berry Gordy in 1959 with an $800 loan from family members, the company grew from Detroit's famed Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters into the most successful Black-owned record label in music history.
Gordy's assembly-line-inspired approach to artist development helped produce a remarkable run of hits and introduced the world to acts including Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Stevie Wonder, and of course, The Jackson 5.
Between 1961 and 1971 alone, Motown generated 110 Top 10 Billboard hits, helping reshape American pop culture while breaking down racial barriers in mainstream music.
The label later expanded to Los Angeles and, today, operates under the umbrella of Universal Music Group while continuing to sign and develop new artists.
