Liquid Audio Signs up Hard Rock and Handleman

In separate announcements Hard Rock Cafe International, and Handleman Company (www.handleman.com) have both selected Liquid Audio ( www.liquidaudio.com) as their digital music service providers.

Under the agreement with the Hard Rock Cafe, Liquid Audio will provide the retail music solution to enable www.hardrock.com to offer digital downloads from the Liquid Audio catalog. A spokesperson for Hard Rock indicated that the company had future plans with the help of Liquid Audio to offer digital distribution of concerts recorded at Hard Rock Cafe locations.

Handleman Company provides music inventory management for large retail chains such as Kmart. The company has recently begun testing of in-store kiosks in 4 WalMart stores in Toronto. The kiosks provide consumers with searchable catalogues, access to out-of-stock music, as well as 30-second music samples. Handleman Online, the e-commerce subsidiary of Handleman Company, will be offering the Web site that supports the kiosks to other retailers that want to offer music retail services. The company will be adding the digital downloads of Liquid Audio's catalogue to this offering.