What does “XM + Napster†equal? A new way to generate revenue for the two companies and a way for you to satisfy your craving for buying and downloading that obscure tune you heard on one of XM’s many music channels.
The deal announced today between XM Satellite Radio and Napster creates a new “XM + Napster†online service, the two companies said. When it debuts in the fourth quarter of this year in conjunction with new XM/MP3 players such as the ones being produced by Samsung, XM listeners will be able to “mark†the songs they like through the player for later purchase on Napster. The purchased songs can be listened to online or downloaded to the player for later offline enjoyment.
The “XM + Napster†online service will also allow users to listen to XM Radio Online, which is the satellite radio provider’s Internet radio service. Listeners, like those using the XM/MP3 players, will be able to select tunes they hear for purchase and download. Napster’s entire music catalog will be available for perusal as well.
“The combination of the ‘XM + Napster’ service with new XM/MP3 players will provide XM subscribers with the ultimate 360-degree music experience,” said Hugh Panero, XM president and CEO. “Today, XM subscribers can effortlessly discover and listen to any kind of music, and soon they will be able to effortlessly access, purchase, and manage their music with ‘XM + Napster’ and the new XM/MP3 players.”
“Napster is excited to work with XM to create a cutting-edge product that merges the best of online and satellite music into one great, integrated experience,” said Chris Gorog, Napster’s chairman and CEO. “‘XM + Napster’ will be nirvana for passionate music fans.”
