eMusic - The Largest Independent Music Service - Reports 3 Million Downloads Since September Relaunch

eMusic - The Largest Independent Music Service - Reports 3 Million Downloads Since September Relaunch 1.5 Million Downloads Per Month Marks 50% Growth Over Pre-launch Levels NEW YORK, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- eMusic, the world's largest independent music service, today reported that it has sold more than three million downloads since its September 22nd re-launch. With more than 1.5 million downloads per month, this marks 50% growth over its pre-launch levels. "These download numbers far exceeded our expectations for the new service," said David Pakman, COO of eMusic and Managing Director of Dimensional Associates, the private equity arm of JDS Capital that owns eMusic and The Orchard. "They certainly demonstrate the power of our offering, which is completely different from any other digital service. While every other music service is focused on promoting and selling the same 100 hits, eMusic caters to a truly under-served market segment-those users seeking great music that's outside the commercial mainstream. A recent industry study reported that of the digital music sold legally, 60% of it is sold to consumers over the age of 30. This demographic is in our crosshairs and eMusic is totally focused on serving the needs of those who are actually buying digital music. We expect continued momentum and see strong growth through the holiday season and well into 2005." At a time when music services have become increasingly commoditized, eMusic has created a service that celebrates the wealth of truly great independent music from the U.S. and around the world-more than 500,000 tracks- and provides unprecedented ways to navigate this beautiful and bountiful music universe. The new eMusic allows you to "Choose to Discover" through methods both innovative and time-honored. Reflecting the passion of its community, eMusic has assembled a score of the greatest music critics across more than a dozen genres to guide subscribers through the treasures of its collection. eMusic's roster of luminaries includes editor-in-chief Michael Azerrad, an acclaimed author and editor, former New York Times pop music critic Ann Powers (Rock/Pop), founding rock critic John Morthland (Blues) and Pulitzer Prize-winning Justin Davidson (Classical), among many others. eMusic is the only major digital music service to deliver music in the universally compatible MP3 format, the most popular and versatile digital file format. MP3s play on virtually all digital audio players-including Apple Computer(R)'s iPod(R); their compatibility is unparalleled and includes literally hundreds of devices, including mobile phones, home stereos, PDAs, car stereos, DVD players, televisions and even cameras. eMusic is the only service that offers the usage flexibility that avid music fans demand-unlimited CD burning along with the ability to transfer MP3s to multiple computers and multiple devices-any of the literally hundreds of devices that play MP3s. Songs downloaded from eMusic contain no digital rights management (DRM) software that would otherwise inconvenience or limit a consumer's usage or listening behavior. eMusic's unique subscription model enables subscribers to download their favorite songs for approximately twenty five cents per song-far cheaper than other leading services. About eMusic eMusic (http://www.emusic.com/) stands alone as the only digital music service that is 100% focused on serving the needs of independent music fans and independent labels. Delivering more than 1.5 million downloads each month; eMusic is among the top digital music services, offering a diverse catalog of 500,000 tracks from established and emerging artists in every genre from the world's top independent labels. eMusic was not only the first service to sell songs and albums in the popular MP3 format, it was the first company to launch a digital music subscription service. Unlike other services that severely restrict portability, eMusic allows members complete flexibility to burn CDs, transfer to MP3 devices and make multiple copies for personal use. eMusic also offers access to exclusive recordings from eMusicLive's network of premier music venues across the country. eMusic subscription plans start at $9.99 per month for 40 downloads. A free trial is available to all new users. Based in New York and San Diego, eMusic is wholly owned by Dimensional Associates, Inc., the private equity arm of JDS Capital Management, Inc. NOTE: eMusic is a registered trademark and eMusic.com is a trademark of eMusic.com Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Andy Morris Andy Morris & Company (212) 561-7465 andy@amc-pr.com Source: eMusic CONTACT: Andy Morris of Andy Morris & Company, +1-212-561-7465, andy@amc-pr.com, for eMusic Web site: http://www.emusic.com/ ------- Profile: International Entertainment