'Glee' Likely to Feature Original Songs Next Season

4:36 PM PST 2/14/2011 by Phil Gallo, Billboard

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The series' music supervisor PJ Bloom says there is a "possibility" an episode will be based around a class assignment where the glee club members have to compose a song.

The recently formed Guild of Music Supervisors held its first awards ceremony at a brunch preceding the Grammys on Sunday. In addition to awarding trophies, .biz has learned that Fox's hit program Glee will likely have an original song in an episode this season and next season there may be a show devoted entirely to original music.

According to Glee music supervisor PJ Bloom, who was at the ceremony, it is a "possibility" that next season there will be an episode based around a class assignment whereby each chorus member would be tasked with composing an original song.

The Glee cast has been something of a chart juggernaut. Since June 2009, according to the most recent Billboard chart story, Glee has had 107 Hot 100 hits -- one away from Elvis Presley's record of 108 charting singles, which will likely be broken next week. Without the financial burden of having to pay publishing rights to cover already recorded music, the program would stand toincrease its revenues significantly if it could create its own hit songs.

The "hit" music supervisors at this year's award ceremony were as follows: the film trophy went to Julianne Jordan (Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Valentine's Day, Red), TV honors were bestowed upon Gary Calamar (True Blood, Dexter, House), the video games award went to Scott McDaniel (Tony Hawk: Shred) and the movies of the week/film made for TV prize was presented to Evelyn Klean (Temple Grandin, The Pacific, Special Relationship, You Don't Know Jack).

The guild, conceived a little more than three years ago, has about 100 to 150 members. "Anybody can call themselves a music supervisor," says Jonathan McHugh, a music supervisor, Island Def Jam executive and film producer, "but this organization brings a level of integrity, telling studios this is the pool of (accredited) supervisors. Benefits will come down the road."

Maureen Crowe, the Guild's president, timed the inaugural awards presentation to the Grammys as a thank you to the Recording Academy, which was the first organization "to realize the impact that music supervisors have in music and to acknowledge" their support. The organization with have its first summit meeting in June.