50M Free Songs For iTunes, From Starbucks
09.24.07 - 02:02pm
Starbuck signed a landmark deal with iTunes in which users of the iPhone or iTouch can download and preview the last ten songs Starbucks has been playing by simply clicking a button when they walk into the Starbucks store.
The launch of the service, called the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks, will take place October 2nd, but Starbucks is one upping the already much hyped launch by adding 50 million free downloads to be given away to their customers.
Customers will receive their “free song of the day” download card with their cup of coffee. Songs will be from 37 artists that are signed on the Starbucks’ Music Label. Included are artists Paul McCartney, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, KT Tunstall, John Legend, Annie Lennox, Joni Mitchell, Keith Urban, Paul McCartney, Sia, Band of Horses, Hilary McRae, Federico Aubele and Sara Bareilles. “Joker Man” by Bob Dylan will be the first song available at launch.
The free song cards will be given out at all Starbucks stores even though only New York and Seattle will have the Wi-Fi Starbucks stores integrated on launch day. The songs can be downloaded till the end of 2007.
“This is a landmark moment for Starbucks. With the launch of the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at Starbucks we can now provide the same classic coffeehouse experience and compelling music offerings our customers have come to expect from us through a new platform ideal for the digital music consumer,” said Ken Lombard, president of Starbucks Entertainment. “This is the first step in combining the power of brick and mortar retail and digital music.”
The iTunes Wi-Fi launch will be kicked off in more than 600 starbucks stores covering Seattle and New York. San Francisco will start to see their Starbucks store go iTunes Wi-Fi in early November. Las Angeles will see their stores transformed in Feburuary and Chicago will be in March. The rest of the cities should see their stores go iTunes Wi-Fi sometime in 2008.
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