7digital | Press | #1 in digital media delivery

With increasing speculation regarding the future of Digital Rights Management (DRM) downloads, leading digital media delivery company 7digital.com today ignites a price war and challenges online retailers, including Apple’s iTunes, to match the quality and price of its DRM-free MP3 downloads. 7digital offers up to high-quality 320kbps format MP3s that are free of DRM and work on all media devices including MP3 players, iPods and mobile phones.

“Static pricing and inferior quality formats being offered by certain online retailers is limiting consumer uptake of digital downloading,” comments Ben Drury, CEO, 7digital.com. “We’ve decided enough is enough - we are now offering MP3 album downloads from £5 giving an equivalent track price as low as 10p each.”

A dedicated section of the 7digital.com site - www.7digital.com/mp3 - has been created to help consumers easily search the MP3 catalogue.

7digital.com has a 3.5-million plus strong catalogue of downloads, with approximately 70% of artist material available in the MP3 format at up to 320kbps quality. The high bit-rate makes downloads indistinguishable from CD quality. New additions to the MP3 catalogue include Kylie, Coldplay, Moby, Radiohead and Pink Floyd.

“In the run up to Christmas, when many will get new MP3 players from Apple, Samsung, Sony and others, it’s important consumers realise that they have choice when it comes to buying downloads. MP3 is the only truly universal digital format for music and we are striving hard to make our entire catalogue available as MP3,” continues Drury. “The big issue now is making downloads available in a consumer-friendly, high-quality format at a reasonable price. iTunes has long been the market leader, but its reluctance to offer any kind of flexible pricing or formats other than AAC, which is far from interoperable, has left many consumers unconvinced by legal digital downloads. Our own sales show that, given the choice, consumers overwhelming choose MP3 downloads, which don’t have DRM restrictions. Earlier in the year MP3s were outselling WMA and AAC by almost four to one.”

“As physical format sales continue to decline, we believe it is vital the consumer is given a fair digital offer, both in terms of quality and format. This is why we are issuing the challenge to other retailers to match our offering,” concludes Drury, who is also Deputy Chairman of the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA).

All downloads from 7digital are automatically stored in the user’s ‘7digital locker’. This acts as an online backup, allowing users to access all material downloaded from 7digital from any computer with an Internet connection.

** 10p per track is the equivalent track price when buying certain selected albums. Single tracks on their own are available from 50p

30th November 2007

Sub.tv and indiestore.com Offer Unsigned Bands the Chance to Record A Live Studio Session

- One indiestore artist will be given the chance to get a live studio session recorded for free every month

- The videos will feature across the Sub.tv network, reaching 1.8 million students in 100 Universities and at sub.tv/music

- Lucky Soul is the first act to record their live session – to be launched on the Sub.tv network w/c 3rd December 07.

indiestore.com, a service from 7digital that empowers unsigned artists and independent labels to sell their music direct to fans online, today announces a partnership with Sub.tv that gives indiestore artists a chance to record a live studio session that will be played on Sub.tv’s broadcast and web network and promoted to over 1.8 million students alongside videos from big name acts.

Each month, the partnership will see one indiestore artist invited to the Sub.tv studios, where acts such as The Wombats have filmed their videos, to record a live session video. Once recorded, the video will be broadcast to 1.8million students in 100 UK Universities via Sub.tv’s 800 plasma screen network. Each video will play for a week alongside Sub.tv’s regular video content from signed acts. Lost Souls, the first artist to benefit from the partnership have just recorded their video, which will be broadcast on Sub.tv w/c 3rd December 07.

The partnership will also enable unsigned bands and artists to create a profile page on Sub.tv and sell their music from it by adding an indiestore widget, a flash player that allows artists to sell their music online.

“indiestore is designed to allow any unsigned band or artist to sell their music online using the same technology that established acts such as Coldplay use,” comments Ben Drury, CEO, 7digital. “The partnership with Sub.tv is a great opportunity for aspiring artists to reach a wider audience through video as well as audio.”

Peter Miles, founder and CEO of Sub.tv comments, “It’s great to see unsigned acts perform in front of a camera for the first time. Filming your first studio session is something many artists dream about – we are about to make it a reality for a number of indiestore.com artists. It’s a really exciting project to be embarking on and we are hopeful that we will be able to propel some unsigned acts to new heights.”

12th June 2007

The Future of Digital Music and Video is Here

7digital Unveils Next-Generation Digital Media Service To Revolutionise Consumers’ Digital Media Experience

- 7digital.com takes on iTunes with open, web-based service that supports the iPod and all other media players

- Launched today, 7digital Locker provides safe and secure access to your personal music and video collection from anywhere in the world

- 7digital.com is the first to offer EMI’s entire DRM and DRM-free catalogue in MP3 at the highest quality (320kbps) including the entire Paul McCartney catalogue

- Major new video content available for download from 7digital.com for the first time including exclusives such as The Rumble in the Jungle - Muhammad Ali Vs George Foreman fight and the classic Bob Marley and The Wailers - Live At The Rainbow 1977 concert

- Pan-European roll-out of the service in Q3 2007.

Imagine a world where you could be anywhere and have your personal music and video collection to hand and play it on any device with internet access, safe and secure in the knowledge that your collection is safely backed up. This is now a reality. Today 7digital.com, a leading digital media delivery company, unveils its new service, which will shape the future of music and video. 7digital.com also announces exclusive content and partnership, as well as new lower pricing for a wide range of music and video downloads.

7digital Locker – ‘Never Lose Your Media’

The 7digital Locker is a web based backup area for all digital music and video files. Any digital media obtained via the 7digital network of services is held safely and securely, can be accessed from anywhere in the world and played at any time using any compatible device with an internet connection and browser. Importantly, all digital media content is stored securely, so unlike music tracks and videos downloaded from iTunes, a backup always exists in your personal Locker.

Additional New Features

- 1 minute track previews: 7digital is the only service in the world to offer this from major labels

- Open: unlike most other digital media services, 7digital.com works on all major browsers and requires no subscription or software download

- Web 2.0 Features: users can now browse the entire 7digital catalogue by tags, genres and labels or using the enhanced search engine

- DRM-free: Over 50% of the licensed catalogue is now available in MP3 with no Digital Rights Management

- Higher Quality: 7digital offers the highest possible quality – 320kbps MP3s – a quality indistinguishable from CD quality

- Tight integration with 7digital’s DIY service indiestore – unsigned artists can sell their music via the 7digital platform

- Widget: 7digital’s widget is now in use extensively on Bebo, MySpace and other social networking services – driving sales and traffic.

New Partnership: Last.fm

7digital announces:

Last.fm: 7digital is Last.fm’s global preferred download retail partner. Whenever a song is played on Last.fm that exists in the 7digital catalogue, a buy button will appear next to the track. Live already in Europe, this service will go live in the US shortly.

Pricing and Exclusive Content

7digital negotiated exclusives to support today’s announcement. These include industry-first pricing – singles for just 50p and albums for £5 - and never seen before video. Albums include the brand new Queens of the Stone Age "Era Vulgaris" and the three Traveling Wilburys classic albums that were re-released yesterday. Classics such as the entire Iron Maiden back catalogue and the much anticipated Paul McCartney back catalogue in MP3 are also available at £5. 100’s of singles from all the major and key indie record labels are at a lowest ever price of just 50p each. Exclusive video content such as “The Rumble in the Jungle” Muhammad Ali Vs George Foreman fight and the classic Bob Marley and The Wailers - Live At The Rainbow 1977 concert, neither of which have been available for download before, are also available from 7digital.com today.

Analyst Quote

Speaking at today’s press conference, Arash Amel, senior analyst, Screen Digest says: “There is no doubt that serious challenges lie ahead for the music and film industries. By the end of the decade there will be a 25-30% gap in retail spending on physical music and the film industry faces a future of flat revenue for DVD. In order to tackle current trends, it is imperative that these industries support the continued development of the digital market by removing barriers to growth and encouraging partnerships that are likely to provide next generation functionalities. Innovative services that complement the users experience, make consumers' lives easier, increase community interaction and build on the simple act of retail are crucial to encourage the continued success of digital. Retailers that embrace these opportunities quickly are likely to succeed - those that don't are likely to fail.”

Ben Drury, MD, 7digital says: “Today’s announcement marks a significant step forward for the digital media industry. We have developed features that are unrivalled and dramatically improve consumer experience. Accessibility and openness are key in today’s digital age. As such, we have developed the 7digital Locker that provides access to your digital media collection from anywhere in the world. Alongside this, the plethora of content and exclusive partnerships really reinforces our vision of bringing a great digital media experience right to the user, wherever they happen to be.”

17th May 2007

Digital Downloads Encourage School Children To Meet 100% Attendance Challenge

- 7digital and partner with MOTIV on ‘Manchester 100 Challenge’ campaign

- Digital music downloads encourage 100% school attendance

- Number of pupils achieving prefect attendance rates has almost doubled this year.

7digital, a leading digital media delivery company, today announces results of a joint campaign aimed at increasing the attendance of pupils at Manchester schools. The campaign, run in association with social enterprise company MOTIV and Manchester City Council, rewarded significantly improved and 100% attendance with EMI music downloads from 7digital.

The ‘100 Challenge’ campaign encouraged students to attend 100% of their lessons. Teenagers who achieved 100% attendance and those that made the greatest improvements in their attendance will be rewarded with music downloads from 7digital and will be able to choose tracks from EMI artists such as Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Gorillaz, Joss Stone, Simon Webbe, Pharrell Williams and Lily Allen.

The campaign has seen attendance figures increase dramatically, with a record number of pupils achieving 100% attendance during the spring term, which runs from January to Easter. The figure is the highest reported for the term since the introduction of term-by-term reporting, with over 14,000 pupils achieving perfect attendance. This marks an increase of approximately 45% on school attendance figures for the same term last year and equates to an additional 52,000 learning sessions attended.

Ben Drury, MD, 7digital, says: “The digital music download market has exploded over the last two years. Given its popularity amongst students of all ages, it was decided that music downloads would be a great incentive for the students of Manchester to improve their attendance levels. The success of the campaign to date is very encouraging and we are looking forward to working on similar collaborations in the future.”

John Willcox, Head Of Trade marketing at EMI, says "We are proud to be involved in this initiative, we feel this is an original and refreshing scheme, designed with the very best interests in mind, helping children towards getting a better education by rewarding them with something they value, music! We wholeheartedly believe that the valuable range of incentives on offer, coupled with the high standards needed to achieve them, isn't just cynically giving them something for nothing, it's motivating them do something beneficial for themselves. Everyone can relate to music, and giving them the freedom to choose from virtually our entire catalogue gives them the opportunity to check out a new band or discover the influences of modern artists. The statistics are plain to see – attendance is not only going up, but there are more children than ever achieving the coveted 100% attendance rate".

Rose Marley, Director of Motiv, comments: “This is a great example of how a social enterprise can affect social change by acting as a conduit between the public and private sector to a mutually beneficial end. We are delighted with the overwhelming response from the pupils, parents and schools in Manchester and we are looking forward to developing future schemes from within the city.”

9th May 2007

Dedicated Music & Video Download Store Launches in Ireland Today - www.7digital.ie

- Digital music downloads available in multiple formats and superior quality

- Exclusive launch promotion with Universal Ireland - 700 albums available for just €7.77 each.

7digital, a leading digital media delivery company, today announces the launch of www.7digital.ie, a dedicated digital music and video download store for Irish music fans. The store offers the latest releases and back catalogues in multiple files formats from all major and independent record labels and all purchases are in Euro.

7digital’s impressive catalogue, which features the latest chart singles and albums from the likes of Mika, the Arctic Monkeys and Coldplay, is available in a variety of formats including MP3, WMA and ACC and in superior quality (up to 320kbps). From today, 7digital is making it easier for people to get hold of great quality content, in the format they want.

Launch Promotion

To celebrate the launch, 7digital.ie has partnered with Universal Ireland to offer a special promotion of over 700 back catalogue titles at a reduced retail price of just €7.77. This promotion is exclusive to 7digital.ie customers and provides a saving of around €3.00 on albums from artists such as Jack Johnson, Black Eyed Peas and Mary J. Blige.

Irish Roots

7digital has established roots in Ireland having provided You’re A Star viewers with the SMS function that enabled them to purchase their favourite finalist’s track. 99% of sales were made using SMS and this propelled the winner and three runners up in to Ireland’s Top 40 singles chart.

Ben Drury, MD, 7digital comments: “The Irish music download market is booming, particularly since IRMA announced that downloads are eligible for the Irish singles chart. We are very pleased to launch Ireland’s first dedicated download service and with exclusive pricing on Universal's extensive back catalogue of albums, we will ensure we offer Irish music lovers greater choice, quality and variety than ever before.”

18th April 2007

7digital Power Tia Maria Download Promotion

- Every customer is a winner with 7digital and Tia Maria

- Tia Maria customers can win one of over 500 Sugababes double passes or two Sugababes remix tracks

- Ten lucky winners will get to meet the Sugababes at the gig.

7digital, the UK’s leading digital media delivery company, is powering a UK-wide download promotion on behalf of FMCG drinks brand Tia Maria. Throughout April, 180,000 promotional scratch cards will be issued to Tia Maria customers in 3,250 bars and clubs across the country. Each card holder will win either one of over 500 double passes, allowing plus one entry to a Sugababes gig, or two free exclusive Sugababes downloads. There are also five ‘meet and greet’ double passes up for grabs that allow five winners, plus one guest each, the chance to meet the Sugababes in person at the gig.

Winners will be directed to the 7digital powered promotion site, www.7digital.com/tiamaria, to claim their prize. By inputting the code on their scratch card, winners will be able to download two tracks from a choice of five remixes of top Sugababes tracks.

Ben Drury, Managing Director, 7digital, comments: “A download is the perfect vehicle for a promotion like this – clubbers are more likely to keep hold of a scratch card than a CD or other gift, and offering exclusive content adds real personality to a brand.”

16th April 2007

7digital supports interactiveaudio

Going by the name "interactiveaudio"(TM), a new modular method for outfitting CDs with added-value is being offered since early 2007 by AREA ENTERTAINMENT, based in Cologne, Germany. Building on Sony DADC's n-CD technology, it allows for many ways of individual consumer approach and post-purchase involvement among which connecting CD-owners to related online fan sites and communities is but one.

In a cooperative effort with leading british digital media delivery provider 7digital that incentive is now being taken to a new level, for the first time realizing a direct premium system for owners of legit CD copies. The most recent release of pop act "B-L-E-N-D" is an interactiveaudio disc equipped with an intelligent forwarding capacity which will, when perused on a connected PC, take its proprietor to additional free exclusives of the band on the internet.

At B-L-E-N-D's digital download store, the same tracks that are given to album-owners free of charge can be purchased regularly by anyone not possessing a copy of the album.

"That way, buying original product gives comsumers a real advantage," explains Christoph Diekmann, Managing Director at AREA ENTERTAINMENT. "Moreover, we pick up users of proven affinity," adds Chris Bornefeld-Ettmann, VP International at 7digital, "and lead them, without palpable media disruption, to further repertoire they may be interested in." Acomplishing all that without any installation required adds to the new added-value-format's attractiveness; says Dirk Engelbertz, Product Manager at AREA ENTERTAINMENT: "No need to worry about anything, like DRM, Rootkits or the like. An interactiveaudio CD doesn't even set a cookie; the system configuration of the computer remains untouched."

No setup hassles, quasi zero complication risk, convenient usability and clear-cut benefits for legitimate buyers; with these key criteria for consumer acceptance met, AREA ENTERTAINMENT and 7digital may just have created something long hoped-for by the industry: fresh appeal for the good old, beg pardon, new physical sound carrier.

4th April 2007

Beanscene Launches Pioneering Music Download Store

Beanscene coffee and music houses has today launched a pioneering music download store which enables customers to purchase any song that catches their ear as they hear it, while they enjoy their coffee and snack in-store, either by download or by sms text.

Beanscene’s download store is powered by digital media delivery company 7digital, and gives Beanscene’s customers access to a selection of over one million tracks, including music from popular, eclectic and independent acts.

The new download store is a key add-on to the new Beanscene website www.beanscene.com - launched today - which has undergone a comprehensive redesign and been given a host of exciting new features to keep scenesters up to speed with all the latest music and Beanscene news.

Gordon Richardson, Beanscene founder, said, “The launch of our download store, together with our new website, marks the realisation of our original aim to bring together all aspects of the Beanscene vibe to create a place where anyone can come to spend some time with friends and family; somewhere that kids are made to feel welcome; where customers can sit back and soak up the sounds of the scene while chilling out over an espresso and a bite to eat in their own backyard.

Our new download store means that not only can customers enjoy their refreshments and snacks whilst listening to an eclectic mix of music from our unique AAA (Alternative Adult Album) format in-store radio station, but they can now instantly buy their favourite tracks, either via download or by sms text.”

When a customer hears a song they like they simply text the keywords, BEANSCENE + track ID from their mobile. The customer then receives a text with a voucher code and the track name, which can be used to download the track from the Beanscene store. To redeem the track, customers simply visit the download store, enter the voucher code and the track is automatically added to their basket. Alternatively, customers can visit the site to browse for music and purchase tracks in several different ways including PayPal and Click&Buy.

Beanscene stores are open for business from 7.30am - 11pm 7 days a week, offering a broad selection of coffees, soft drinks and accompanying muffins, baguettes, sandwiches and pastries. Its food offering, available all day, extends to soups, salads, nachos, tapas, pizza and paella – with healthy options for kids. Additionally, Beanscene stores operate a Bring Your Own Bottle policy for diners.

The sound of the scene – through broadcasting, retailing and live performance – is an integral part of the mix. Beanscene’s in-store and online radio station’s mood rather than genre driven approach to scheduling commits effective airtime to an eclectic cross section of artists and styles while it has also become an essential venue for grassroots and emerging artists to perform in-store.

Said Richardson, “At the end of the day Beanscene is a state of mind, somewhere to kick back, relax and take life in on its most simple and enjoyable level; the simple concept of coffee, music and conversation - for all the family.”

28th March 2007

Bebo and 7digital launch music download service

- 31 million Bebo users able to download music direct from the site

- 7digital widget promotes sales of downloads directly from Bebo user pages

- More than 450,000 Bebo Bands can now sell their music online and be in with a chance of securing a chart position

- 7digital widget allows independent artists and labels to sell from their Bebo Bands profile pages in multiple currencies and by SMS

7digital and Bebo today announced an exclusive partnership which will allow Bebo’s 31m users worldwide to download music directly from the social networking site.

Bebo currently has over 450,000 registered bands worldwide and the partnership means artists can now make money from their music, using 7digital’s indiestore service.

The integration of indiestore’s features into Bebo Bands will allow Bebo to offer a new and exciting service to its user base in the UK, Ireland, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and will also open up a massive global audience for existing indiestore acts. indiestore acts will be promoted on Bebo Bands and to Bebo’s global user base, including over 8m users in the UK.

Artists signed-up through Bebo Bands will be able to either sign up for a free Starter indiestore account, which will allow them to sell four tracks, or a Pro account, which enables them to sell 20 tracks. A specially created indiestore widget and the tight integration of the two services means that after signing up and uploading their music, an artist just needs to click a button to seamlessly add the widget to their Bebo profile.

The widget lists all the tracks that the artist has on their indiestore and lets visitors listen to the tracks on the bands profile page; a powerful addition to the existing Bebo experience. If they are interested in purchasing a track, they can simply click ‘download’ and be taken to the bands store at 7digital.

7digital’s indiestore offers artists the chance to easily sell their music, with sales from the Pro account counting towards official charts in the UK, US and over 20 other countries. Artists can sell in multiple currencies, with PayPal, Click & Buy and even SMS. With SMS purchasing, indiestore allows artists to reach their fans at anytime and sell to those that don’t have credit cards.

The 7digital widget also allows 4,000 labels internationally (including all the majors) to sell their music on Bebo. The widget can be shared amongst the Bebo community – allowing truly viral distribution. Bands already taking advantage of the new service include The Killers (http://thekillersuk.bebo.com) and Muse (http://muse.bebo.com)

Ben Drury, MD, 7digital explains: “Our mission is to provide artists and labels with all the tools they need to start making money from their music. Artists can be successful and break into the charts now with minimum outlay; they just need a reasonable audience. The partnership with Bebo brings the functionality of the 7digital platform to millions and gives artists mass exposure - it’s great news for all.”

Joanna Shields, President International, Bebo commented: “We’re adding more than 3000 new bands and artists each day and affording individuals a voice to express themselves and share their music and passions with likeminded people. Music remains a defining part of the Bebo network experience and our partnership with 7digital will present additional value to our users allowing them to not only discover, but purchase music on Bebo.”

23rd March 2007

You’re a Star Runner-Up Makes Chart History by Reaching Number One in Ireland on Download Sales Alone

Majority of sales made by text using 7digital’s SMS service

21 Demands, the runner-up in Ireland’s biggest ‘idol-style’ TV show, You’re A Star, has reached number one today in Ireland’s Official Charts and become the first band to do so on download sales alone. Their single, “Give Me A Minute”, secured the number two spot last week but strong sales have knocked Mika’s “Grace Kelly” off the top spot and secured 21 Demands the number 1 position.

During the course of You’re A Star, viewers were able to text to buy the track using 7digital’s SMS function. It proved so popular amongst viewers that 99% of sales were made in this way, forcing 21 Demands up the charts. ‘Give Me A Minute’ is also available to buy exclusively through 7digital’s site: www.7digital.com/star

21 Demands have made chart history in Ireland today in the same way as Gnarls Barkley did in the UK in 2006. Digital downloads are having a dramatic impact on the charts - people no longer have to invest in producing a physical CD single to have a serious chance of securing the elusive number one spot. By using the tools that are available to artists today, such as SMS payment, charting, and indeed reaching number 1, is achievable for any band with a good single and a strong following,” says Ben Drury, MD, 7digital.

21st March 2007

Red Herring Reveals Companies Selected For The Red Herring 100 Europe 2007

Award Recognizes the 100 “Most Promising” Companies Driving the Future of Technology

Red Herring today announced that 7digital, the UK’s leading digital media delivery company, is a recipient of Red Herring 100 Europe, an award given to the top 100 private technology companies based in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region each year.

Ben Drury, MD at 7digital, comments: “The award recognises our dedication to providing the best digital experience for both content owners and consumers. Our recently unveiled fourth generation platform shows that we’re spearheading the next wave of download stores - stores where content is so easy to buy that fans can do so by text, and where content is so easy to sell, owners can do so in multiple formats, territories and currencies.

By offering the same delivery technology to unsigned and independent artists that we offer to the major labels and big content owners through indiestore.com, we’re right at the front of the digital music revolution – democratizing music distribution and ensuring all artists get paid fairly for their work.”

This year’s impressive list of winners demonstrates Europe’s emergence as a major player in the global technology sector,” said Red Herring Editor-in-Chief, Joel Dreyfuss. “The exceptional accomplishments of European technology companies and entrepreneurs are a testament to the rapid advancements being made in building the European innovation ecosystem.”

Red Herring’s lists of top private companies are an important part of the company’s tradition of identifying new and innovative technology companies and entrepreneurs. Companies like Google, eBay and Skype were spotted in their early days by Red Herring editors, and touted as leaders that would change the way we live and work.

Red Herring’s editorial staff rigorously evaluated more than 700 private companies through a careful analysis of financial data and subjective criteria, including quality of management, execution of strategy, and dedication to research and development.

To honor the CEOs of Red Herring 100 Europe companies, Red Herring has invited each CEO to present his or her company at its Venture Market Europe (VME) 2007 event. Scheduled for March 25-27, at the Intercontinental Carlton, this intimate, three-day event is themed “The Pursuit of Disruption” and will explore how European firms are leading the charge in many technology sectors, gaining the competitive advantage, and driving entrepreneurial success in ways that create business opportunities for challengers and incumbents alike.

About Red Herring

Red Herring is a global media company which unites the world’s best high technology innovators, venture investors and business decision makers in a variety of forums: a leading innovation magazine, an online daily technology news service, technology newsletters and major events for technology leaders around the globe. Red Herring provides an insider’s access to the global innovation economy, featuring unparalleled insights on the emerging technologies driving the economy. More information about Red Herring is available on the Internet at www.redherring.com.

16th March 2007

Peter Kay’s Comic Relief Download ‘Gonna Be’ Available From 7digital

Following the success of the ‘(Is this the way to) Amarillo’ Comic Relief single, Peter Kay has produced and directed an exclusive version of The Proclaimers ‘(I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles’. The track will be performed by ‘guest vocalists’ Phoenix Night’s Brian Potter and Little Britain’s Andy Pipkin tonight on Comic Relief.

The track, in video and audio format, will be available to download after 9.40pm tonight via the official Comic Relief 7digital download store at www.7digital.com/rednose

An eclectic mix of guests. including Dusty Bin & Basil Brush to Status Quo, David Tennant and Terry Nutkins, will lend their vocals to the performance.

8th March 2007

7digital Upgrades its Digital Media Platform

Fourth generation platform includes 7digital widget allowing artists and labels to promote and sell music through social networking sites and blogs

New payment options available: SMS, PayPal, Click&Buy and a flexible voucher system.

7digital, the UK’s leading digital media delivery company, today announces the launch of its fourth generation delivery platform. The upgraded platform gives content owners new options to sell by SMS, enabling them to reach a wider audience, and increase sales by inserting a 7digital widget on social networking profiles and blogs.

The 7digital widget allows artists to make their digital music store available anywhere on the web. Using it on an artist’s social networking site enables consumers to listen to tracks on the player ‘inside’ the profile or blog and purchase a track by simply clicking on the download button and going to the artist’s 7digital page.

The upgraded platform introduces a SMS payment method that lets customers purchase up to £5 worth of content using a SMS shortcode. This means artists, labels and broadcasters can sell content bundles, reach fans wherever they are, and sell to those who do not have a credit card. Sales via SMS are included in chart position calculation.

7digital’s new platform supports payments through PayPal, Click&Buy and a flexible voucher system allowing vouchers to be issued and redeemed for tracks, albums and videos.

7digital currently powers over 700 stores for major labels, broadcasters and artists including Coldplay, Gorillaz and X-Factor, all of which will be able to benefit from the upgraded platform.

To coincide with the platform upgrade, 7digital launches its new branding, corporate site and blog - www.7digital.com/business.

Ben Drury, Managing Director, 7digital, comments: “Over the last three years we have worked on many diverse campaigns from Live8 to X Factor. Because we understand what content owners want and need to effectively promote and sell their music and videos, we have been able to develop a market leading service that will make it easier than ever before for consumers to buy and content owners to sell.

To date, over 750,000 consumers have downloaded from a 7digital service. Our new features offer the easiest user experience possible, and let consumers access and buy great content from more places than ever before.

21st February 2007

New, Improved indiestore Launches Out of Beta, Unveiling a Raft of New Interactive Features

indiestore, a service from 7digital that empowers unsigned artists and independent labels to build their own music download store, today ends its beta phase and unveils the service with brand new features and a new design. The service now offers features that allow independent artists to grow their fan base, develop their own online community and sell more music. The new features, which herald a new, interactive experience for artists, their fans and music lovers, will be officially launched at a party at Proud Galleries in Camden on 20th February 07.

New Features

Listener comments – artists can now interact with their fans and develop online communities; fans can post comments about tracks, upcoming gigs and respond to artist posts

The indiestore music blog – contributed to by indiestore moderators and reviewers, the blog keeps users up-to-date on industry news and developments, new artists, reviews and everything indiestore

Payment by SMS – indiestore Pro artists will receive SMS keywords to sell their individual tracks with indiestore. With SMS purchasing, indiestore allows artists to reach their fans at anytime and sell to fans that don’t have credit cards. All SMS sales are chart reported. Additional payment options including PayPal and Click & Buy are also now available

Ratings - fans can now rate indiestore music, letting artists reach new fans, and fans find new music. Ratings are on a 7 dot scale and appear next to each track

Advanced styling – new styling tools and options let artists fully customise their indiestore so it reflects their style, genre and music. With 25+ options to design an indiestore, artists will be in more control of their download store appearance

indiestore player - a flash-based music player that allows artists to take their digital music store anywhere on the web. The indiestore player can be used to set up shop on an artist’s social networking site, homepage and blog.

Ben Drury, MD, 7digital comments: “The fast-paced download market means that it’s essential for every band to have a sales presence online, whether they are signed, unsigned or independent. With indiestore anyone can fully exploit the opportunities opened up by digital music – artists can sell to a worldwide audience, use SMS payment for viral campaigns and even have a crack at the charts.

In terms of getting signed, it’s not about sending your tape to a label anymore, it’s about establishing yourself online and proving you’re already selling.”

indiestore Starter and indiestore Pro

indiestore Starter is the free service level for artists just getting into the digital music revolution. The Starter features allow 4 tracks to be uploaded, 70% revenue share in favour of the artist and an embeddable indiestore flash player.

indiestore Pro is £75.00/$99.00/€99.00 pa and gives an artist the ability to upload 20 tracks, bundle their music into albums, sell via SMS and submit their music for synchronisation opportunities.

Tracks sold through the Pro version are eligible for the official singles charts in the UK, US and over 20 other countries. This is particularly exciting for indiestore artists following the chart rule changes that came into effect in January 07 - download only singles (i.e. singles that are not accompanied by a physical CD) count towards the chart.

Getting into the charts is now within reach of any band with a good song and a large fan base, as proven by Essex act Koopa who became the first unsigned band in history to enter the top 40 in January.