MP3.com Expands Deeper Into Asia

MP3.com announced that it has signed an agreement to promote certain content of BMF Companies' (www.being.co.jp), through free songs, custom CDs and the My.MP3 service. BMF is a privately held company that has produced many major Japanese artists whose CDs rank among Japan's top sellers.

BMF has a 23-year history in developing artists with a lasting appeal, such as the B'z, one of the top-selling Japanese bands of all time, and the number one selling Japanese artist in 2000, Kuraki Mai. BMF is the parent company of the Being Group of record labels, artist management companies and publishers.

According to MP3.com, the agreement provides for BMF to make a large portion of its catalog available on the MP3.com (www.mp3.com) site. BMF will use the MP3.com site to make streaming music, monthly music subscriptions and custom D.A.M. (Digital Automatic Music) CDs available to MP3.com's global customer base.

Additionally, MP3.com and BMF state that they intend to cooperate on a wide range of music marketing activities.

"This relationship allows MP3.com to act as a bridge between BMF's fantastic catalog of Japanese music and Internet users in Japan and around the world,'' said Michael Robertson, chairman and chief executive officer of MP3.com.

"We wanted to work with a company that had two key values, proven technology and a proven commitment to benefiting artists and the industry,'' said Masao "Mario'' Nakajima, president and managing director of BMF.