• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Apple Computer Strikes Deal With 3 Music Labels

Posted on: Thursday, 22 July 2004, 06:00 CDT

CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) -- Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) has struck licensing deals with three of Europe's largest independent music labels, ending a discord that would have kept many local favorites off the new iTunes Music Store in Britain, France and Germany.

Apple officials said Wednesday it had reached deals with Sanctuary Records Group, Beggars Group, and V2, and that it now had a standard agreement with the Association of Independent Music, a trade group representing a variety of independent labels.

Now "tens of thousands" of tracks, such as songs from Basement Jaxx, The Crystal Method and the Pixies, will be added to the online music store's library of more than 700,000 songs in each country, Apple said.

In Europe, about 22 percent of artists are signed with independent labels.

When the Cupertino, Calif.-based company launched its popular iTunes store in Europe last month, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said independent artists were offered the same contracts as the larger labels, but AIM said its members couldn't agree to the terms.

In the meantime, AIM had agreed to collective deals with Apple's rivals, including Sony Connect, Yahoo, OD2, Wippit, O2 Music, and Napster.

Despite the missing repertoire, Apple said it sold more than 800,000 songs in the first week of the European launch, echoing the market-leading momentum it already has in the United States.

Apple has not disclosed a more current figure for European downloads.

-----

On the Net:

Apple Computer

More science, space, and technology from RedNova

Copyright © 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

More News in this Category