MP3.COM, TOWER RECORDS FROLIC IN AUDIO STREAM

Online music buying will become even more convenient, as TowerRecords.com and MP3.com have teamed up to allow customers to hear the CDs they purchased before they arrive in the mail.

The Instant Listening agreement will give customers a free, password-protected Internet account from which they can access to streamed audio versions of the CDs.

While the partnership was announced Wednesday (12/6), no launch date has been released. The program will first be implemented on Tower's Web site, and will eventually extend to the brick and mortar locations.

"This partnership represents some first steps in bringing the full benefits of the Internet and the digital age to all Tower customers, the most loyal and knowledgeable music fans in the world," said Tower Senior Vice President, Digital, Mike Farrace. "We're very excited to be working with MP3.com in order to give our customers the ability to purchase a CD from our site and listen immediately online."

Farrace added, "This Tower-branded service will further cement the great relationships we already have with our customers, and is just the first of an ever-increasing array of digital services on our award-winning TowerRecords.com site and ultimately for Tower Records retail customers as well. Best of all, customers don't even have to put their pants on to shop."