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CHECKOUT CHECKSOUT
Online retail site CheckOut.com will cease operations tomorrow. The Wherehouse Music co-branded site has been in operation for little more than two years. In November of 1999, Wherehouse pacted with the netco to handle its online presence; the site's closure was foreshadowed in January when Amplified Holdings bought CheckOut's assets. No word yet on a possible relaunch of WherehouseMusic.com.

ARISTA JUMPS INTO ECHO'S STREAM
Streaming music site Echo has signed an agreement with Arista to allow users on-demand streaming access to the label's new releases. Echo's "Listen and Rate" program offers web surfers the opportunity to preview tracks and rate them. As part of the deal Arista will be given the feedback. The ratings are done in real time, with multiple members listening simultaneously to the same songs. Arista execs plan to accord the feedback exactly the same consideration they give to suggestions from their underlings.

DOWN-LOW ON IBM/GRAMMY DOWNLOADS
IBM has pacted with Grammy.com to allow visitors to download selected Grammy-nominated songs and other "popular music tracks"—such as A Flock of Seagulls' "I Ran (Die Krupps Remix)," available on the site. Big Blue is showcasing its Electronic Media Management System (EMMS), a copyright-protected download system. "Digital Rights Management, the ability to protect intellectual property on the Web, is essential to the welfare of the creative and technical professionals the Recording Academy represents," said NARAS Prexy Mike Greene. "And none of the Eminem controversy, either."

INDIE ROCK GEEKS MEET TECH GEEKS
While we're on the subject of downloads and unpopular music, EMusic.com, the company that cares, is the exclusive seller of Apples in Stereo's MP3-only live album and the new set from the Donnas, "Turn 21." Meanwhile, Liquid Audio has signed a non-exclusive deal with Matador Records to offer some tasty smart-rock online, beginning with ex-Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus' solo debut. Luckily, we got all of these records in the mail for free already.

SATELLITE TUNES GIVE KENWOOD
Kenwood, maker of fine, fine audio equipment, has shipped the first Sirius-ready radios to retailers, such as Circuit City and Good Guys. The radios hook up to a Sirius module, available this summer, so that the monthly subscribers of the satellite radio system will be able to hear up to 100 channels of Sirius radio. Sirius will broadcast from three satellites. If you wear aluminum foil on your head they won't be able to read your thoughts.

MP3.COM GOES MICRO
Today's MP3.com announcement unveils the netco's new "micro-site" service, an online destination for publications and other businesses. The sites allow companies to brand and customize sites using community music events, links and free music downloads. It's like Public Access TV without having to see people.