Mariah Carey Premieres New Single Exclusively on MSN Music!

Mariah Carey Premieres New Single Exclusively on MSN Music!

'We Belong Together' Follows 'It's Like That' Collaboration With Jermaine Dupri; Both Videos Shot in Los Angeles by Director Brett Ratner

MSN to Host Online Premiere of 'We Belong Together' Video and Offer Exclusive Footage of Star-Studded 'The Emancipation of Mimi' Party in April

Mariah Carey Exclusive Is Latest Premiere of Universal Music Group Content on MSN Music

REDMOND, Wash., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Island Def Jam recording artist Mariah Carey is preparing for one of the biggest success stories of her career, as "We Belong Together" jumps out as the second single from "The Emancipation of Mimi," her eagerly anticipated new album, set to arrive in stores April 12. If you want to be the first on your block to own Mariah Carey's hot new single "We Belong Together," MSN(R) Music ( http://music.msn.com/ ) is the exclusive place to go. Beginning today through April 12, MSN Music is the only place U.S. fans can purchase the single.

MSN Music also will host the world online premiere of the "We Belong Together" video in April. The promotional video for "We Belong Together" provides the stunning conclusion to "It's Like That"; the two videos were filmed together in Los Angeles by famed Hollywood director Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour," "Red Dragon," "After the Sunset"). Ratner last worked with Carey in 1999 on the No. 1 Pop/No. 1 R&B "Heartbreaker" clip.

But music and videos aren't the only treats MSN Music has in store for Mariah Carey fans. In April, MSN Music will offer exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from Mariah Carey's exclusive, star-studded "The Emancipation of Mimi" party in New York. Expected to attend the party are some of the hottest names in music, film and sports, including Island Def Jam Music Group Chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Janet Jackson, Jermaine Dupri, Sean Combs, Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Stephon Marbury, Nelly and Vince Carter, among others.

"Being Mariah Carey fans ourselves, we're excited that MSN Music is the only place that people can purchase her new single, see her new video online and get a behind-the-scenes look at her white-hot 'The Emancipation of Mimi' party," said Rob Bennett, senior director of MSN Entertainment. "MSN Music is about helping music fans find what they love, and Mariah Carey's fans are among the most devoted in music. We're thrilled to be working with Universal Music Group to help bring fans closer to Mariah and the many other great Universal artists."

"This is a terrific new opportunity for IDJ and MSN Music to collaborate on a campaign that centers on one of the most important artists in all of pop music history," said Steve Bartels, president of Island Records. "Mariah Carey has an enormous following in the U.S. and around the world. We value our ability to synergize with MSN Music in order to bring the 'We Belong Together' single and video directly to Mariah's fan base. Combined with consumer access to exclusive party footage from 'The Emancipation of Mimi,' an all-star album- release event, this is going to be an exciting and tremendous opportunity for all involved."

Mariah Carey is an award-winning superstar with cumulative total sales of her albums, singles and long-form videos in excess of 75 times platinum in the United States alone, and 150 million worldwide, making her the top-selling female artist in history. With a record 15 No. 1 singles, two Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, Billboard magazine's Artist of the Decade Award, and the World Music Award as World's Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium, Mariah Carey's ongoing career remains an unparalleled success story in the history of contemporary popular music.

The exclusive Mariah Carey content is the result of a close collaboration between MSN Music and Universal Music Group (UMG) that allows music lovers to get a sneak preview of UMG artists' latest creations. Recently, MSN Music and Universal Music Group premiered new videos from UMG artists Beck ("E-Pro"), Eminem ("Mockingbird") and JoJo ("Not That Kinda Girl").

About MSN Music

MSN Music ( http://music.msn.com/ ) is a leading online music store with over 1 million tracks available for download in all genres. Songs downloaded from MSN Music can be played on more than 70 portable music devices that support the high-quality Microsoft(R) Windows Media(R) Format. In addition to songs and videos from the all the major music labels, MSN Music offers tracks from 3,000 independent labels, making it easy to find what you love.

About MSN

MSN attracts more than 380 million unique users worldwide per month. With localized versions available globally in 40 markets and 20 languages, MSN is a leader in delivering Web services to consumers and online advertising opportunities to businesses worldwide. The most useful and innovative online service today, MSN brings consumers everything they need from the Web to make the most of their time online. MSN is located on the Web at http://www.msn.com/ . MSN worldwide sites are located at http://www.msn.com/worldwide.ashx .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

NOTE: Microsoft, MSN and Windows Media are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

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