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"This is the next step in our plan to give consumers our music in the formats they are demanding today, and to give our distributors maximum flexibility to offer a wider range of options and a deep selection of music."
——David Munns, EMI Recorded Music NA

EMI GOES WIDE WITH
DIGITAL INITIATIVE

Music To Be Offered in Downloadable, Burnable and Portable Formats at Nine Online Sites
EMI Recorded Music is embracing the digital age.

At least someone is. The company has announced an enhanced digital download distribution program for the U.S. which will give consumers—through nine leading distributors—the ability to download tracks, the capability to burn a limited number of personal copies and the flexibility to import recordings to portable devices.

Well, we’ll be an unprotected MP3 file.

Beginning Dec. 1, EMI will offer digital downloads through agreements signed with Alliance Entertainment Corp., Ecast, FullAudio Corp., Liquid Audio, Listen.com’s Rhapsody, MusicNet, Pressplay, Roxio and Streamwaves.

Among the ISPs, portals and online retailers these nine distributors service are AOL, Yahoo, Earthlink, Verizon Online, MSN, Cablevision Systems, Charter Communications, DirecTV Broadband, BestBuy.com, HP.com, MTV.com, MP3.com and SongPro.com.

The artists include hot current acts like Lenny Kravitz, Norah Jones, Kylie Minogue, The Vines, Cassandra Wilson and Coldplay as well as catalog standbys Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Selena, Billy Idol, Blondie, David Bowie, Joe Cocker, Duran Duran, Everclear, Fatboy Slim, Pink Floyd, Megadeth and Tina Turner.

EMI will enable consumers to purchase radio singles from upcoming albums, with distributors offering them to the public in digital download formats when the tracks debut on radio and before the album’s street date.

Said EMI Recorded Music NA Chairman/CEO David Munns: "This is the next step in our plan to give consumers our music in the formats they are demanding today, and to give our distributors maximum flexibility to offer a wider range of options and a deep selection of music. Taste and demand will change, but we’ve developed an initial framework that is good for consumers, artists customers and our business. And we play to make more and more repertoire available. So don’t give me any of this ‘too little, too late’ crap."