EMUSIC ROLLS OUT THE STONES

According to a report in the N.Y. Post, last week, the company began selling 15 classic albums from the pre-1971 Rolling Stones catalog, under a new deal with Allen Klein’s UMG-distributed Abkco Records, which includes all the band’s releases prior to Sticky Fingers.

The digital music retailer is expanding is now courting deals with the major record companies now that the big labels are selling DRM-less music themselves through Amazon, Wal-Mart and others.

EMusic is hoping to turn their coup into a broader deal with UMG's independent distribution arm Fontana, though so far, Doug Morris and company aren't biting.

The company was able to offer the Stones because Abkco controls the band’s digital rights, not UMG. Major labels have been hesitant to deal with eMusic because the retailer charges users $10 per month for 30 downloads, which amounts to 33 cents apiece. And unlike other subscription services, eMusic users to keep their downloads even after they stop paying.

To date, the company has partnered with independent labels willing to sell unprotected music at below 99 cents in the hopes of making up the business on greater volume.