eMusic Launches A&R Program: eMusic Selects

NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2008 -- eMusic, the world’s largest retailer of independent music — and the world’s second-largest digital music service after iTunes — announced today the creation of eMusic Selects, a highly-curated boutique music space launching February 12 on eMusic that will showcase unsigned and underexposed new artists.

Each month, eMusic’s staff will handpick up to two deserving artists for high-profile visibility to eMusic’s 400,000 subscribers. The acts will be featured prominently on eMusic’s homepage and receive in-depth editorial coverage on the eMusic Selects page, http://www.emusic.com/features/hub/selects/index.html and on the site’s blog, www.17dots.com. Subscribers will be able to access a free song download from each act as well. The artists will agree to provide their often previously unreleased music exclusively to eMusic in the digital format for 60 days.

eMusic has played a significant role in generating sales for up-and-coming independent artists in the past. With only a fraction of iTunes’ customers, the company was responsible for approximately 43% of SoundScan-reported digital album sales for Beirut’s first release, Gulag Orkestar (Ba Da Bing Records) and, more recently, for approximately 74% of Soundscan-reported digital album sales of highly regarded new artist Yeasayer’s first release, All Hour Cymbals (We Are Free). eMusic Selects will formalize the site’s tastemaker leanings with a program that the company hopes will make an impact on the artists it chooses to support.

“eMusic customers are some of the most passionate and adventurous music fans around,” said Yancey Strickler, eMusic Senior Director, Editorial and Features. “They know we're all about pushing good music from overlooked artists, championing people that take chances, artists who refuse to compromise. eMusic Selects will be our highest endorsement and gives us another way to help artists we love get bigger.”

eMusic Selects launches on February 12, 2008 with High Places and Breathe Owl Breathe.

The Brooklyn-based High Places are Mary Pearson and Rob Barber, and they play an original and spastic combustion of world beat, hip-hop, dream-pop and indie rock. High Places have become one of the most talked about bands in New York thanks to an overwhelming live show, and their omnipresence at underground Brooklyn concert venues. The duo has self-released three vinyl-only 7-inches, and their excellent eMusic Selects album, 03/07 – 09/07, compiles those, along with five previously unreleased songs.

Breathe Owl Breathe are an earthy Michigan trio with roots in indie, classical and traditional music. The group employs an array of stringed instruments (most notably the cello and guitar) and vocal harmonies to craft a sound that is playful and reverent, silly and heartfelt, mysterious and familiar. Based in Ann Arbor, the band is composed of Micah Middaugh, Andréa Moreno-Beals and Trevor Hobbs. Their eMusic Selects title, the Ghost Glacier EP, contains six new recordings and two older ones highlighting their gifts of songwriting and poignancy.

About eMusic
eMusic (http://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 iPod®. 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.



NOTE: eMusic is a registered trademark and eMusic.com is a trademark of eMusic.com Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contacts: Cathy Halgas Nevins eMusic 212-201-9201 or cnevins@emusic.com Denise Yantin eMusic 212-300-2885 or dyantin@emusic.com Amy Welch Charm School PR 718-852-6463 or amy@charmschoolpr.com