Amazon MP3 Offers Over 2 Million Songs From More Than 180,000
Artists and Over 20,000 Labels, Including EMI Music and Universal
Music Group
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2007--Amazon.com, Inc.
(NASDAQ:AMZN) today launched a public beta of "Amazon MP3," a new
digital music download store with Earth's biggest selection of a la
carte DRM-free MP3 music downloads. Amazon MP3 has over 2 million
songs from more than 180,000 artists represented by over 20,000 major
and independent labels. Amazon MP3 complements Amazon.com's existing
selection of over 1 million CDs to now offer customers more selection
of physical and digital music than any other retailer.
"Amazon MP3 is an all-MP3, DRM-free catalog of a la carte music
from major labels and independent labels, playable on any device, in
high-quality audio, at low prices," said Bill Carr, Amazon.com Vice
President for Digital Music. "This new digital music service has
already been through an extensive private beta, and today we're
excited to offer it to our customers as a fully functional public
beta. We look forward to receiving feedback from our customers and
using their input to refine the service."
Every song and album on Amazon MP3 is available exclusively in the
MP3 format without digital rights management (DRM) software. This
means that Amazon MP3 customers are free to enjoy their music
downloads using any hardware device, including PCs, Macs(TM),
iPods(TM), Zunes(TM), Zens(TM), iPhones(TM), RAZRs(TM), and
BlackBerrys(TM); organize their music using any music management
application such as iTunes(TM) or Windows Media Player(TM); and burn
songs to CDs.
Most songs are priced from 89 cents to 99 cents, with more than 1
million of the 2 million songs priced at 89 cents. The top 100
best-selling songs are 89 cents, unless marked otherwise. Most albums
are priced from $5.99 to $9.99. The top 100 best-selling albums are
$8.99 or less, unless marked otherwise.
Every song on Amazon MP3 is encoded at 256 kilobits per second,
which gives customers high audio quality at a manageable file size.
Buying and downloading MP3s from Amazon MP3 is easy. Customers can
purchase downloads using Amazon 1-Click(TM) shopping, and with the
Amazon MP3 Downloader, seamlessly add their MP3s to their iTunes or
Windows Media Player libraries.
Amazon MP3 has over 2 million songs from more than 180,000 artists
spanning every genre of music, including 50 Cent, Alison Krauss, Amy
Winehouse, Ani DiFranco, Arcade Fire, Beastie Boys, Coldplay,
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Ella Fitzgerald, Feist, John Coltrane,
KT Tunstall, Keith Urban, Koko Taylor, Lily Allen, Madeleine Peyroux,
Maroon 5, Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis, Morrissey, Nelly, Nickel Creek,
Nirvana, Norah Jones, Paul McCartney, Philip Glass, Pink Floyd,
Pixies, Radiohead, Ray Charles, Rod Stewart, Spoon, Stevie Wonder, The
Chemical Brothers, The Decemberists, and The Rolling Stones.
"Well done Amazon for making so much music available to so many
people," said KT Tunstall. "It's good to know, in the words of The
King, you're taking care of business!"
Leading independent labels offering their catalog of music for the
first time as DRM-free MP3s include Alligator Records, HighTone
Records, Madacy Entertainment, Sanctuary Records, Rounder Records,
Righteous Babe Records, Sugar Hill Records, and Trojan Records.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc., (Nasdaq:AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in
Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers
Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth's most
customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover
anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its
customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers
offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories
such as health and personal care, jewelry and watches, gourmet food,
sports and outdoors, apparel and accessories, books, music, DVDs,
electronics and office, toys and baby, and home and garden.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp,
www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, and the Joyo Amazon websites at
www.joyo.cn and www.amazon.cn.
As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms
include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context
indicates otherwise.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ
significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others,
risks related to competition, management of growth, new products,
services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating
results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and
claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial
agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange
rates, system interruption, significant amount of indebtedness,
inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud.
More information about factors that potentially could affect
Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, and all
subsequent filings.
CONTACT:
Amazon.com
Media Hotline, 206-266-7180
http://www.amazon.com/pr
SOURCE: Amazon.com, Inc.