Clear Channel debut new artist songs on Web

[nigel lawry]

Clear Channel to debut new artist songs on Web

Published: September 13, 2005, 10:17 AM PDT

By Reuters

Clear Channel Communications on Tuesday is expected to launch an online service offering hundreds of songs and music videos from new and unsigned artists as part of a larger foray onto the Web.

The largest U.S. radio conglomerate, which owns about 1,200 radio stations across the country, also has a deal with GarageBand.com, a site for new musicians, to boost access to new artists' material.

At launch, the service, called New, will feature nearly 100 emerging artists from music labels including Atlantic, Capitol, Columbia Warner Bros. and Def Jam, along with unsigned acts every 90 days.

About 16 featured artists will have a home video, five songs and a link to the artist's web site featured on any number of Clear Channel's local radio station Web sites.

Previous Next Fifty GarageBand.com artists will also have five songs, a photo and artist information on Clear Channel's sites.

"The idea that a musician can submit music online for the chance to have it promoted to a nationwide audience is the American dream come true, and a major step toward democratizing how music is discovered," GarageBand.com CEO Ali Partovi said.

In March, Clear Channel planned an overhaul of its Internet strategy, that now includes artist performances on its local Web sites and clips of recorded radio shows, or podcasts.

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