eMusic drives classical sales

Released on: April 22, 2008, 4:41 am

Press Release Author: Cathy Halgis Nevins

Industry: Entertainment

Press Release Summary: eMusic drives classical sales: Adds noteworthy classical
labels chandos, telarc and harmonia mundi
to catalogue of 27,000+ exclusive free samplers from bis and harmonia mundi france
increase paid classical music downloads

Press Release Body: NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2008 -- eMusic the world's largest retailer
of independent music - and the world's second-largest digital music service after
iTunes - announced today a number of new and noteworthy independent classical label
signings to its growing roster of more than 27,000. They include the prestigious
UK-based Chandos Records, one of the world\'s premier classical music labels; Telarc,
the forty-time Grammy award-winning label; and celebrated Harmonia Mundi, hailed by
Billboard Magazine as one of this year's top classical labels and home to a diverse
and wonderful crop of artists that includes Paul Lewis, Phillipe Herreweghe and René
Jacobs.

Other classical labels recently added to eMusic include Naīve, Vox, Lyrita,
Hungaraton, Supraphon, and CSO Resound, the Chicago Symphony's in-house recording
label. These additions will be available on the website both in the US and
worldwide.

eMusic revealed that more than half of customers who downloaded one of two recent
exclusive free classical music samplers went on to purchase additional classical
music. Of those, nearly one third had never downloaded a classical track before. For
the past several months, eMusic has offered customers exclusive free samplers from
BIS Records, MIDEM\'s 2008 Classical \"Label of the Year" honoree and Harmonia Mundi.
Both currently rank in eMusic's classical music charts top ten.

BIS, the highly-respected, Scandinavian classical imprint celebrates its 35th
anniversary by offering more than two hours of free classical music to eMusic
customers. The label is known for its complete recordings of composer Jean Sibelius,
as well as other projects such as the Bach Cantatas by Bach Collegium Japan under
Masaaki Suzuki, and the riveting new Beethoven symphony cycle with conductor Osmo
Vänksä leading the Minnesota Orchestra.

Harmonia Mundi's exclusive free sampler is representative of their excellence in
baroque and classical repertoire, as well as their world-class artists. Selected
tracks are taken from Paul Lewis' acclaimed Beethoven Piano Sonata cycle, Andrew
Manze and the English Concert's recordings of Handel and C.P.E. Bach, and vocal
ensemble Anonymous 4's explorations of American folk songs and spirituals.

"Classical labels recognize that eMusic, with its sophisticated adult customer base
and unsurpassed editorial features, sells classical music better than any other
digital service," said eMusic President and CEO David Pakman. "For example,
classical represents 12% of our sales in Europe and the U.S. is not far behind. Our
subscriber base has always been passionate about discovering music outside the
mainstream and the free sampler statistics are a perfect example of how eMusic is
able to increase sales of classical music and encourage consumers to discover great
music outside the commercial mainstream, as well as outside of their preferred
genres."

\"As a label head and a regular visitor to their active customer message-boards, I
commend eMusic for working successfully to create a truly outstanding digital music
experience for classical music fans everywhere,\" said Robert von Bahr, President of
BIS Records. "With their commitment to classical music, eMusic offers our artists
large exposure and easy access to an audience that's fervently interested in an
innovative and timeless genre of music," commented Jean-Baptiste Rivail,
International Director of Harmonia Mundi.

About eMusic
eMusic (www.emusic.com) is a digital entertainment retailer focused on serving
customers aged 25+ by offering independent music and audiobooks in a universally
compatible format at a great value. It is the world's largest retailer of
independent music and the world's second-largest digital music service after iTunes,
with more than three million tracks from 27,000 of the world's leading independent
labels and over 1,500 titles from top audiobook publishers. To super-serve its
customers, eMusic provides award-winning editorial content, a vibrant online
community and unrivaled music discovery tools. eMusic's subscription-based service
offers 25 free downloads or one free book at sign-up, giving consumers an
inexpensive, low-risk way to explore great new music and books they wouldn't find
otherwise. Its universally compatible MP3 files play on any device including the
iPodŽ. Based in New York with an office in London, eMusic.com Inc. is wholly owned
by Dimensional Associates, Inc., the private equity arm of JDS Capital Management,
Inc.

About Author

Here the author Cathy Halgis Nevins writes about addition of noteworthy classical
labels chandos, telarc and harmonia mundi to its catalogue of 27,000+ including
exclusive free samplers from bis and harmonia mundi france. Get fun with music downloads, online music, free mp3 downloads,
audio books at www.emusic.com.



Web Site: http://www.emusic.com

Contact Details: 535 5th Avenue
3rd floor
New York, NY 10017
phone: 212-300-2800
mail: articles@emusic.com

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