Warner licenses music catalog to imeem
updated 02:50 pm EDT, Thu July 12, 2007
Warner licenses to imeem
Warner Music has signed a deal to allow imeem access all of its music and video content, free of charge to the user. In return for this privilege, imeem will be expected to share a portion of its advertising revenue. The deal is notable for two main reasons; foremost is that it is the first time a major label has offered ad-driven access to an entire catalog, instead of seeking standard royalties or per-song compensation (as in the case of Lala).
Warner is also known to have filed a lawsuit against imeem just two months ago, accusing the site of copyright infringement. The exact reasons for the change of heart are unclear, though it is in keeping with Warner's digital push in 2007, evidenced by the Lala deal and the fresh availability of music on the Japanese iTunes Store.
imeem is a site similar in character to Last.fm, which recently signed its first major labels in the form of the Sony BMG family. Users of the site -- which number over 16 million -- can share tracks, playlists, photos and blog entries. [via VentureBeat]
