EMI Music Signs Agreement with SNOCAP, Enabling Fans to Buy MP3s from Artist Websites, Social Networking Pages and Blogs

EMI Music Signs Agreement with SNOCAP, Enabling Fans to Buy MP3s from Artist Websites, Social Networking Pages and Blogs

EMI BECOMES FIRST MAJOR LABEL TO TEAM UP WITH SNOCAP MYSTORES TO SELL DRM-FREE, HIGHER-QUALITY MP3 TRACKS

ARTISTS NOW SELLING VIA SNOCAP MYSTORES INCLUDE 30 SECONDS TO MARS, THE ALMOST, THE BIRD AND THE BEE, KORN, DEAN MARTIN, MIMS, RELIENT K, SAOSIN, SICK PUPPIES, YELLOWCARD AND LEGENDARY BLUE NOTE ARTISTS

NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO, June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- EMI Music today 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 -- digital storefronts that work on nearly any standard website -- 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.

   (Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070629/AQF035LOGO-a)   (Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070629/AQF035LOGO-b)  

Beginning this week, music from a broad range of EMI Music artists will be available for purchase via SNOCAP MyStores. 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. EMI's Blue Note Records label has also placed a SNOCAP MyStore on its main website making tracks available from both catalog and current artists -- everyone from Freddie Hubbard to Sonny Clark -- as well as the single from the upcoming Suzanne Vega album.

The SNOCAP MyStore is an easy-to-use Web-based interface and digital storefront which enables labels and artists to place a retail point of sale almost anywhere on the web. EMI's agreement with SNOCAP means fans will be able to download higher-quality DRM-free tracks without leaving the artist's website or social networking page. SNOCAP is making tracks available for $1.30, and albums will be made available via SNOCAP MyStores later this year. Using SNOCAP MyStores' "Spread the word" feature, fans, music bloggers and other third party sites will also have the ability to place SNOCAP MyStores from their favorite artists on their own websites.

"SNOCAP's MyStore technology is an exciting new proposition and another step forward for consumers, artists and the digital music market overall," said Eric Nicoli, CEO of EMI Group. "Giving consumers the capability of buying music directly from their favorite artists' websites and social networking areas is a great way to connect artists directly with fans. We're delighted that our DRM-free, higher-quality offering will be available this way, so that fans can play the music they buy on a range of devices."

"EMI is breaking important new ground in making music accessible without DRM restrictions to everyone and we are thrilled to be a part of this exciting launch," said Rusty Rueff, SNOCAP CEO. "EMI is the first major label to use the SNOCAP MyStores to make such a great range of digital music totally open and available so music lovers will now have the freedom to play and listen to what they purchase from a SNOCAP MyStore on every device, from iPods to music-enabled phones."

SNOCAP, the premier music technology company for direct artist-to-fan online distribution, offers a one-stop registration to allow musicians, labels and distributors to clear and manage their licensing rights across multiple retail destinations. Using sophisticated music fingerprinting technology to identify and catalog the music, SNOCAP's registry authenticates against over five million tracks.

Examples of how SNOCAP MyStores are selling music from EMI artists to fans direct from web sites are available at the following websites:

   30 Seconds To Mars - http://www.thirtysecondstomars.com/   KORN -  http://www.korn.com/   Sick Puppies - http://www.sickpuppies.net/   The Almost - http://www.thealmost.com/home.aspx   Yellowcard - http://www.yellowcardrock.com/music.aspx   The Bird and The Bee - http://www.thebirdandthebee.com/   Elisabeth Withers -- http://www.elisabethwithers.net/   Relient K - http://www.relientk.com/music.aspx   Saosin - http://www.saosin.com/news.aspx   Mims - http://www.mimsmusic.net/-/Main.aspx?pbt_name=Music   Blue Note Label - http://www.bluenote.com/   Ryland Angel - http://www.rylandangel.com/   TobyMac - http://www.tobymac.com/   Joe Lovano - http://www.joelovano.com/   Dean Martin - http://www.deanmartin.com/    About EMI Music  

EMI Music is the recorded music division of EMI Group, the world's largest independent music company. Its EMI Music division represents artists spanning all musical tastes and genres. Its record labels include Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capitol, Capitol Nashville, EMI Classics, EMI CMG, EMI Records, EMI Televisa Music, Manhattan, Mute, Parlophone and Virgin. Artists on EMI labels include Lily Allen, The Beatles, Coldplay, Corinne Bailey Rae, The Good The Bad & The Queen, Gorillaz, Norah Jones, The Kooks, Korn, Kylie Minogue, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Joss Stone, 30 Seconds To Mars, KT Tunstall, Keith Urban and Robbie Williams, as well as international artists such as Amaral (Spain), Diam's (France), Utada Hikaru (Japan), LaFee (Germany), Radja (Indonesia), RBD (Mexico) and Vasco Rossi (Italy).

EMI has been at the cutting edge of the rapidly growing digital music marketplace since it released David Bowie's 'Hours' as the world's first ever album to be offered as a digital download in 1999. EMI has signed agreements with hundreds of digital partners to distribute its music across the globe, including most recently its premium DRM-free, higher-quality offering sold through partners including Apple iTunes, Amazon.com, PassAlong Networks and more. It continues to facilitate the development of a growing range of new digital business models to enable fans to experience and purchase its artists' output through a number of different platforms including making its videos available for access via YouTube, advertising-supported online music streaming in China through Baidu, legal peer-to-peer agreements with QTrax, Mashboxx and GNAB, and a deal to offer advertising-supported videos on mobile phones in the US through Rhythm NewMedia.

   For further information on EMI, please visit: http://www.emigroup.com/.    About SNOCAP  

SNOCAP's unique digital registry provides real-time management of online licensing, rights and distribution of digital music, making it easy for artists and labels to sell music directly to their fans over the Internet and helping to power a more vibrant digital music marketplace. Using SNOCAP MyStores, independent artists can sell their music on any website and via online retailers anywhere, anytime, while remaining fully in control of the licensing and rights. SNOCAP powers the music services for artists on a host of social networking sites including the world's largest.

SNOCAP provides digital music and technology services to imeem, ReverbNation, ADA, the Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, EMI, The Orchard, CD Baby, TVT Records, Artemis Records/Sheridan Square Entertainment, Beggars Group, InRadio, Koch Records, Nettwerk Records, Matador Records, Merlin, One Little Indian Records, Ryko Group. Slide, RockYou, PumpAudio, Shoutlife, CrackSpace and an extensive roster of leading independent labels. Founded by Shawn Fanning, Jordan Mendelson and Ron Conway in 2002, SNOCAP aims to be the trusted solution powering the global marketplace for digital media. The company is based in San Francisco, California.

   For more information, visit http://www.snocap.com/.    Contact:   EMI:  Jeanne Meyer, 212.786.8850    SNOCAP:  Susan Celia Swan, 917.865.6603, swan@swanllc.com  

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http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070629/AQF035LOGO-b
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Source: EMI; SNOCAP

CONTACT: Jeanne Meyer of EMI, +1-212-786-8850, or Susan Celia Swan for
SNOCAP, +1-917-865-6603, swan@swanllc.com

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Profile: International Entertainment