Competition: Musicmaker.com signed up EMI records.
EMI TUNING UP 'NET 100,000 songs added to Musicmaker.com
ADAM SANDLER
07/20/1999
Daily Variety
Page 7
Copyright 1999 Variety, Inc.
EMI Recorded Music will make more than 100,000 songs available for digital downloading on Musicmaker.com, the Web site that allows consumers to create custom compilation discs.
The move, which follows EMI's five-year licensing pact inked last month with Musicmaker.com to provide content, will boost the site's catalog to nearly 500,000 songs.
The music conglom will also nab a 40% equity stake worth more than $200 million in Musicmaker.com as part of the latter's July 7 initial public offering.
EMI artists the Beach Boys and Natalie Cole are among the first acts to approve the release of their music.
"This is the first step to giving consumers a comprehensive and abundant selection of songs available from one Internet site," said Jay Samit, senior veep of EMI's New Media arm. "We are glad our artists have embraced this new partnership."
Personal CDs
Creating a custom compilation via digital download gives a fan the opportunity to choose individual songs from different record labels in a variety of genres. The result is a personal CD with its own artwork.
"We are happy to announce EMI's release of their masters," said Raju Puthukarai, prexy/co-CEO of Musicmaker.com. "This will mark the first time a major record label with well-known artists will make their catalog available for custom compilations on the Internet."
Positioning in digital market
Puthukarai said the move "also marks Musicmaker.com's further positioning as a major player in the digital distribution market."
Musicmaker.com offers more than 20,000 licensed songs from major artists for digital downloading, including the Yardbirds, Ramones, Blondie, Frank Zappa, Ziggy Marley and the Band.
The tunes are offered in three secure digital download formats: secure MP3 , Microsoft MS Audio 4.0 and Liquid Audio. EMI hired Liquid Audio in June to encode the conglom's entire library for digital delivery.
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