EMI Selects Liquid Audio

EMI has selected Liquid Audio (http://www.liquidaudio.com) as a digital service provider for EMI's recently-announced digital download trial, scheduled to commence in July.

Thisrelationship builds on the existing strategic alliance between EMI and LiquidAudio for digital music encoding.

Liquid Audio's Liquid Music Networkincludes more than 800 retail and music Web sites, including Tower Records,BestBuy, HMV, Harmony House, Hastings, J & R Music, Musicland, Transworld,CDNOW, and more.

Interesting, Liquid Audio will use Windows Media format audio, and do all the encoding,hosting, distribution and digital rights management.

"Retail is a key in our download strategy because of their strong brandpositions and consumer access," said Richard Cottrell, president of EMI MusicDistribution. "And with Liquid Audio's strong retail relationships,distribution network and history in the digital market, they are a naturalchoice for our digital delivery program."