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Samsung devices launch with music service from MusicNet

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samsung_k3.jpgSamsung Electronics Co. has a launched a digital music service designed to work seamlessly with the company’s leading edge digital music players – the K3, K5 and T9 models. MusicNet, provider of business-to- business digital entertainment to top consumer brands, will provide the platform for the Samsung Media Studio (SMS). Previously released Samsung PlaysForSure devices such as the Z5 are also able to utilize the new digital music service for monthly music subscriptions and individual downloads.

The new music service is integrated into the SMS, a proprietary, Samsung- developed media player for Samsung’s devices. Prior versions of the SMS will have the new features integrated following an automatic software update. The SMS will offer portable music subscriptions, allowing unlimited downloads to Samsung portable devices for a flat monthly fee, or the purchase of individual tracks or albums.

Originally posted on July 6, 2007 @ 10:00 am

Baidu and Rock Music announce partnership to stream music online

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baidu_rock.jpgBaidu.com, Inc., the leading Chinese language Internet search provider, and Rock Music Group (RMG), an independent Chinese language record label, announced that they have established a partnership to provide an advertising-supported online music streaming service.

According to the related agreement, a selection of Chinese language music from RMG’s repertoire will be made legally available for streaming at no charge to all users of Baidu. Internet advertising will be displayed while users listen to music licensed under the agreement. The two companies will share revenue generated from the advertising and will continue to work together to explore new opportunities in advertising-supported online music distribution.

“This partnership with RMG, the world’s leading Chinese language record label, reflects growing industry recognition of the advertising-supported
free music streaming model. Advertising- supported music provides more listening options for Internet users and gives online advertisers a powerful marketing platform.” said Robin Li, Baidu’s Chairman and CEO.

Originally posted on July 4, 2007 @ 9:31 am

Live Nation expands to UK

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livenation_uk.jpgLive Nation announced the extension of its successful web platform to the company’s UK website.

With a brand new, globally consistent design, LiveNation.co.uk will continue to offer fans a powerful concert search engine complete with separate festival listings, as well as an online merchandise store with products from over 2,000 artists. In addition, the site will offer registered ticket club members access to buy tickets before they go on sale, as well as access to premium seats.

The platform for the new site is an extension of Live Nation’s highly successful LiveNation.com destination, which along with its other company sites have been ranked number two amongst event sites by Nielsen/Net Ratings in the United States.

The company expects to roll out the new web platform throughout Europe in 2007, including The Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain, France, Belgium, Poland, The Czech Republic and Hungary.

Originally posted on July 2, 2007 @ 11:41 pm

Universal Music declines iTunes deal

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Universal MusicUniversal Music Group has declined to sign a two-year deal with Apple’s iTunes music store, which is said to possibly hurt Apple’s dominant hold on retail digital music.

Universal chooses to continue selling music and videos via iTunes on a monthly basis, instead of being tied up with a long-term deal. With this arrangement, the Vivendi-owned music company is still open up to accept other possible deals with other services.

Apple now covers over 70% of the market when it comes to digital music sold in the US. Universal, on the other hand, has been the leading producer of music albums. Last year Universal inked a deal with Microsoft to have a share of sales of the Zune. Universal is open to more possibilities like this.

Originally posted on July 2, 2007 @ 9:56 am

EMI Music, SNOCAP inks agreement on selling DRM-free, high quality MP3s

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emi_snocap.jpgEMI Music announced that it has reached an agreement with SNOCAP which enables U.S. fans to purchase DRM-free, higher-quality MP3s by EMI artists through artist websites, social networking pages and fan blogs. EMI will have the ability to place SNOCAP MyStores on the web pages of hundreds of its artist sites, making EMI the first major record company to partner with SNOCAP to sell its music in a DRM-free, higher-quality format. The SNOCAP MyStore is an easy-to-use Web-based interface and digital storefront.

Downloads will be DRM-free MP3s, encoded at 320 kilobits per second, more than twice the audio quality of standard files. Artists whose tracks will be available via SNOCAP MyStores at launch include 30 Seconds to Mars, The Almost, Ryland Angel, The Bird and The Bee, KORN, Joe Lovano, Dean Martin, MIMs, Relient K, Saosin, TobyMac and Yellowcard, with additional EMI artists rolling out SNOCAP MyStores in coming weeks.

Originally posted on June 30, 2007 @ 8:35 am