(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Music Choice has entered into partnerships with 18 influential and eclectic independent labels, including Artemis, Razor & Tie, Century Media Records and many more. Videos from artists across multiple music genres are now available on the Music Choice dual-platform network, which includes a new broadband music service and Music Choice On Demand. The videos reach millions of PC users with broadband connections and TV viewers with access to On Demand.
The acquisition of these videos will greatly expand Music Choice's current library of music videos, adding to an extensive selection of multi-genre videos from artists back to classics from the '80s and '90s. A mix of big budget videos by established artists, DIY videos by emerging acts, and everything in between, is available, reflecting Music Choice's commitment to artists at every stage of their career.
"Music Choice is the only outlet for both emerging and established artists to get exposure to a nation-wide audience through TVs, PCs and cell phones," stated Damon Williams, senior director of Music Programming for Music Choice. "With this multi-deal announcement, Music Choice is demonstrating its commitment to both the music industry and consumers to be the premier music video network."
Label additions include:
**Century Media Records: One of the world's leading independent metal record labels with seven offices worldwide. Releases include an array of artists that span the genres of traditional, goth, death, black, power metal and hardcore, including Soilwork, In Flames, Shadows Fall, The Haunted and more;
**Artemis: A privately held, New York-based independent record label launched in 1999. The label is currently home to a diverse group of artists including Steve Earle, Sugarcult, Black Label Society (featuring legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde), Better Than Ezra, Little Barrie, Jaguar Wright, Ruff Ryders, Pretenders and the late Warren Zevon;
**Razor & Tie: One of the fastest-growing independent entertainment companies in the U.S. featuring Southern California's The Chemistry, international rock trio Danko Jones, singer/songwriter Dar Williams, Grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban funk collective Yerba Buena, Brooklyn hard-rock quartet The Giraffes and live hip-hop act Heiruspecs, among many others;
**SGZ Entertainment: A new Tropical and Urban Latino label founded by George Zamora, former president of Warner Music Latina and multiple Grammy Award-winning producer Sergio George;
**Ultra Records: An electronic label with music ranging from progressive trance to house to commercial cross-over music. Ultra has proven itself to be a successful compilation- and single-based record label and is now developing homegrown electronica talent for the domestic and international market;
**Metal Blade Records: Alternative and metal label which now has an international roster full of established and upcoming underground bands, including Unearth, As I Lay Dying, The Black Dahlia Murder and Six Feet Under;
**Trustkill: Hardcore, punk and emo label with a roster that includes Bleeding Through, Most Precious Blood, Roses Are Red, Throwdown, Walls Of Jericho, Open Hand, Nora, It Dies Today, ArmsBendBack and Hopesfall; and
**VI Music: A leading label for Bachata, Merengue, Salsa, and Reggaeton music featuring a mix of Latin rhythms, hip-hop and rap.
–Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
RealNetworks Exceeds 1 Million Subscribers
(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — RealNetworks, Inc. now has more than 1 million subscribers to its premium subscription music services, including its Rhapsody service and commercial-free Internet radio services. "We've now crossed a critical mass milestone in digital music," said Rob Glaser, chairman and CEO of RealNetworks. "By offering consumers the best way to get unlimited legal access to digital music, we have the #1 digital music subscription business in America. Now, we're accelerating our growth by working with partners such as Comcast to make it really easy for consumers to get Rhapsody in entirely new ways."
RealNetworks total revenue for the first quarter of 2005 was approximately $76.6 million. This compares to the company's previous first quarter revenue guidance of $73 million to $74.5 million and represents an approximately 27% increase from $60.4 million in total revenue for the first quarter of 2004. This result also represents a record quarter of revenue for RealNetworks.
RealNetworks will hold a press conference to unveil a revolutionary new initiative in digital music and a free concert featuring multi-platinum recording artists Good Charlotte at Radio City Music Hall in New York on April 26. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
