Things Go Better With Downloading

Jay-Z

A video clip from JAY-Z's live concert in JUNE at NEW YORK's RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL is popping up on all sorts of illicit music sharing hotspots. But JAY-Z isn't upset. That's because the rapper, at the request of COCA-COLA CO., agreed to allow distribution of the eight-minute clip, which included promotions for COKE, on the peer-to-peer sites, using technology usually used to thwart music pirates.

The unusual alliance demonstrates a new tack being taken by the music industry. There's a growing recognition among some record executives and performers that the people who are downloading illegally are frequently huge music fans and that marketing to them may be more desirable in the long run than suing or otherwise harassing them.

« see more Net News