The second largest digital music retailer in the world launches in Canada today through the 80-plus Best Buy stores and Avis car rentals, promoting a subscription service that offers 3.5 million titles and has agreements signed to augment that number through local aggregators such as Sonic Unyon and Outside Music.

The American based eMusic subscription service already has agreements with key Canadian labels such as Nettwerk, Arts & Crafts, Justin Time, Secret City Records, Mint Records and Paper Bag, and a repertoire base that includes a large number of Canadian artists such as Arcade Fire, Feist, Destroyer and Sarah McLachlan.

eMusic has been a pioneer in selling tracks in the DRM-free MP3 format in the U.S. since 1998 and is second only to iTunes in the number of downloads sold. The

MP3 format allows consumers to play tracks on any device, burn CDs and make as many copies as they like for personal use.

Since launching in November, ‘03, the service has sold more than 200 million downloads. Company president David Pakman says he expects that the Canadian service will help to “expand the digital music market in Canada”.

Pakman points out that Nielsen SoundScan and CRIA statistical data show that the digital download, subscription and mobile music markets make up only 12% of total sales in Canada, in contrast with 29% in the U.S.

eMusic eMusic also has a library of audio books in its catalogue from audio books publishers such as Random House, Penguin, Hachette, Blackstone Books and Naxos.

The eMusic program is offering 50 free bonus music downloads and one free audio book download at sign-up in Canada. The sales literature explains the subscription pricing “provides music lovers with an inexpensive, low-risk way to discover great new music” for as low as 37 cents per track.”

Canadian monthly pricing plans are as follows:

Music
eMusic Basic – 30 downloads $11.99
eMusic Plus – 50 downloads $17.99
eMusic Premium – 75 downloads $23.99

Audio books
1 audio book – $11.99
2 audio books – $22.99

For more information contact:
Barbara Laidlaw, Fleishman Hillard Canada for eMusic – 416-214-0701 or
Cathy Halgas Nevins, eMusic – 212-201-9201 or