Site to Feature Videos by Such Chart-Topping Artists as Kanye West, Gwen
Stefani, Eminem, Rihanna, Feist and Lifehouse, among others
LOS ANGELES, and NEW YORK, April 16 -- Universal Music
Group (UMG), the world's leading music company, and PluggedIn
(http://www.pluggedin.com), announced today an agreement whereby PluggedIn
users will have access to thousands of high-definition quality videos from
UMG's extensive roster of chart-topping artists covering every genre of
music.
PluggedIn is powered by an innovative new media player that supports
high-definition full-screen video playback with no buffering and DVD like
controls, a multimedia search engine and fan centric social networking
applications. PluggedIn's Media Player delivers a smooth, uninterrupted,
full screen viewing experience and enables fans to watch stunning, HD
quality music videos from their favorite artists. Videos are encoded for
multiple bandwidths (dial-up, wireless and broadband) and DVD type controls
allow for instant playback and skipping around. At PluggedIn.com, music
lovers can discover new music, get recommendations to artists, videos, and
to other fans, and click into the PluggedIn Media Stream -- a real-time,
voyeur's view of the activity of tastemakers and fans. On PluggedIn, the
community drives all the ranking and presentation of videos, artists,
playlists and fans.
"With more and more consumers discovering and enjoying music videos
online, we are confident that fans and artists will embrace the engaging
product the PluggedIn team has put together," stated Rio Caraeff, Executive
Vice President of Universal Music Group's eLabs. "This is the first time
customers will be able to view our videos online at such high quality, and
the difference is remarkable."
"There is no question that music remains a large part of our everyday
lives and a key element to the online community experience," commented Jeff
Somers, CEO of PluggedIn. "This strategic partnership is an ideal fit as it
provides us and our customers with access to the resources of Universal
Music, the world's largest producer of music programming."
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 largest global
music publishing operation.
Universal Music Group consists of record labels Decca, Deutsche
Grammophon, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Geffen Records, Island Def Jam
Music Group, Lost Highway Records, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville,
Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Music Latino,
Universal Motown Records Group, 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 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, and Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division.
Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and
communications company.
About PluggedIn
PluggedIn launched its beta service in April 2008, with the goal of
changing the way consumers interact with and view premium entertainment
content on the web. PluggedIn is an internet media company that offers
streaming, free to consumer, HD and broadcast quality videos to fans
everywhere. The entertainment site features over 10,000 HD and broadcast
quality music videos and more than one million Artist Profiles, and is
powered by an innovative new media player that supports high-definition
full-screen video playback with no buffering and DVD like controls, a
multimedia search engine and fan-centric community features. PluggedIn is
based in Santa Monica, CA. The company was founded and is managed as a rare
partnership between proven Internet entrepreneurs and successful music
industry executives. The company's team includes Brett O'Brien, founder of
Xdrive, which was sold to America Online (AOL)in 2005; Kevin Welk, CEO of
Vanguard and Sugar Hill Records; Jeff Somers, former executive with Amazon
and Zillow; JJ Aguhob, previously with Xdrive and AOL, and an early team
member at MySpace; John Gaa, previously with Xdrive and Sony; and Nicola
Marzolla, from Yahoo Music.
For More Information Please Contact:
Peter LoFrumento
Universal Music Group
212-331-2585
peter.lofrumento@umusic.com
Lucy Zepp
Murphy O'Brien for PluggedIn
310-586-7161
lzepp@murphyobrien.com
