LAST.FM

Social music website Last.fm announced on Wednesday that it is launching a service to allow anyone to listen to music on the site for free.
The site is to offer free streaming of full-length recordings from all 4 major record labels and more than 150,000 independent labels and artists while unsigned artists are also being given opportunity to earn revenue through revolutionary new “Artist Royalty” service.

Last.fm becomes the first music website to offer free, global, on-demand access to the largest licensed catalogue of music built on partnerships with all four major record labels - Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG, Warner and EMI - as well as CD Baby, IODA, the Orchard, Naxos and more than 150,000 independent labels and artists.

Martin Stiksel, Last.fm co-founder, said: “We’re giving the listener free access to what is basically the best jukebox in the world. The ability to dip into such a uniquely broad catalogue from your laptop, home or office computer, and listen to whatever you want for free represents a new way of consuming music that in turn might change the way you listen to music. In that respect, nobody else can currently offer what Last.fm is offering right now.”

“It is clear to us that communities built around great content are increasingly driving traffic and revenue online,” said Leslie Moonves, President and CEO of the CBS Corporation who acquired Last.fm on May 30th 2007.

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