Aspen – After years of fighting online music purveyors, one of the world’s biggest recording companies is joining them.
Warner Music Group is planning a new digital-only “e-label” subsidiary that will let Warner artists create and sell songs exclusively for Internet downloads.
Songs will be released in “clusters” of a few songs every few months, and at least initially won’t be available on store-bought CDs or online music stores.
Warner chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr. said he hopes to start the new service by the end of this year. He declined to give other details, including how much the service might cost.
The new e-label business could help Warner cut millions in marketing and distribution costs, but also could help musicians reach fans more quickly, Bronfman said.
Artists who sign with the “e-label” subsidiary also will retain ownership of their masters and copyrights, he said.
