PRESSPLAY'S ZOMBA JAMBOREE
Vivendi Universal/Sony-backed online music subscription service Pressplay has announced a pact with the Zomba Group that will give the Internet venture access to music from affiliated labels Jive, Silvertone and Verity.
The addition of Britney Spears, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, R. Kelly, Mystikal and other chartbusters further strengthens Pressplay's expanding content offerings. The Zomba deal follows an agreement with EMI, the first member of rival service MusicNet's consortium to issue licenses to both subscription entities.
Analysis of the likely success of these label-backed services has often used Spears' hits as an example of music consumers would want access to before shelling out for subscriptions.
In addition to tracks from UMG and Sony, Pressplay offers tunes from TVT, Matador, Roadrunner, Razor & Tie, Rounder and other indies.
"This agreement represents another important step towards fulfilling Pressplay's goal of building an online music library that eventually will include the vast majority of the world's popular music," proclaimed Pressplay chieftain Andy Schuon. "It also means I can finally get professional tips on how to do complicated choreography while singing into a headset microphone."
