Universal Music Group (UMG) Partners With Free All Music to Offer Free Legal Downloads

Catalog to debut during FreeAllMusic.com’s private beta launch

NEW
YORK and ATLANTA, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ — Universal Music Group, the
world’s leading music company, has partnered with ad-sponsored digital
music download service FreeAllMusic.com (www.freeallmusic.com)
to offer consumers free, legal downloads from UMG’s broad digital
catalog of chart-topping musical artists. The announcement was made
today by David Ring, Executive Vice President of Business Development
and Business Affairs for UMG’s eLabs, and Richard Nailling, Chief
Executive Officer of FreeAllMusic.com.

Through
this agreement, thousands of tracks representing many of the world’s
most prominent artists are being made available now in FAM’s current
private beta period, where users will be offered up to 20 free
downloads per month, five per week, starting every New Music Tuesday.
This is based on the usage patterns of a typical “hits-oriented” iTunes
customer. FreeAllMusic.com is keeping with its “walk before we run”
philosophy in slowly building its user and advertiser base.

FreeAllMusic.com
is a new music service that provides consumers with downloadable,
high-quality, iPod-compatible MP3s of popular songs that are
advertiser-paid, free, legal, and unrestricted (DRM-free). In exchange
for watching one brief video commercial per download on the
FreeAllMusic.com site, users receive a permanent, high-quality download
which they can enjoy anytime, anywhere with no further advertising or
restrictions. There is no software required for the service. Users’
music selections and sponsoring brands are then promoted externally
through an opt-in, consumer-informed digital advertising network.

To
download a free track, registered users simply select a participating
brand they prefer, and watch a brief video from that brand. After each
download, FreeAllMusic.com serves additional advertisements for that
brand across targeted websites. Visitors to those sites will see ads
displaying information about downloads, supporting brands, and
FreeAllMusic.com. Users can also email information about their download
to friends, who can also download it legally for free…if they watch
the ad, too. Sharing of download activity can also be posted on popular
social networking sites.

Charter
brands for the private beta period include Coca-Cola®, Warner Bros. TV,
Zappos.com, LIONSGATE®, LG, inconcert3D, and Powermat.

Fans
get their free music legally, brands gain new loyalties, and artists
are compensated no differently than if the tracks were purchased,
creating a fair balance for all participants.

“For
the first time, a legitimate free music download service is making
‘doing the right thing’ easier than piracy. Our site is fast, easy and
fun for consumers,” noted FreeAllMusic.com’s Richard Nailling. “The
addition of UMG’s artists from Lady Gaga and Rihanna to Taylor Swift
and Jay Sean means people can count on FAM to offer an excellent
selection of DRM-free music for just about every taste.”

“Free
All Music has created a new advertising model that connects fans,
artists and brands,” stated Mr. Ring. “It provides an opportunity for
fans to support the artists that they love, and brands to build loyalty
with existing and new consumers. Universal Music is committed to
enabling and supporting services that provide engaging alternatives for
fans looking to legally download music.”

About Universal Music Group

Universal
Music Group is the world’s leading music company with wholly-owned
record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also
include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry’s leading global
music publishing operation.

Universal
Music Group’s record labels include A&M/Octone, Decca, Deutsche
Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Interscope Geffen A&M Records,
Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA
Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Polydor Records,
Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal Music Latino and Verve Music
Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by
its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music
Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which
includes the last 100 years of the world’s most popular artists and
their recordings. UMG’s catalog is marketed through two distinct
divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal
Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also
includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its
merchandising company; Twenty-First Artists, its full service
management division; and Helter Skelter, its live music agency.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.

About Free All Media, LLC

Free
All Media, LLC is based in Atlanta, GA, and with sales offices in New
York and Los Angeles. Richard Nailling is the chief executive officer
and Brian McCourt is the senior vice president of business development
and affiliate relations.

Universal Music Group