amplified.com Launches Valentine Promotion With Trans World, Tower and National Record Mart

Business Wire, Jan 25, 1999

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 25, 1999--amplified.com announced today the launch of a unique Valentine music promotion on the Tower Records (www.towerrecords.com), National Record Mart (www.nrmmusic.com) and Trans World Entertainment (www.twec.com) web sites.

The promotion features seven themes with various love and Valentine-related songs. Each theme is focused on a particular genre, such as classical, blues, smooth jazz and alternative. All songs are available for download as well as for custom compilation orders.

amplified.com, a pioneer in the realm of digital music distribution, provides leading music retailers and music-related web sites with song download and custom compilation functionality in a site private labeled specifically for them. Live examples of their private label sites can be viewed at the Tower Records and National Record Mart web sites. Also in development are private label sites for The Wherehouse (www.wherehouse.com) and Compact Connection (www.compactconnection.com), both scheduled to launch in coming weeks.

About amplified.com: amplified.com has operated for over four years as a provider of Internet music sampling services to customers such as Billboard Online and the Los Angeles Times online. The company now offers download and custom compilation services to leading Internet music retailers and record labels. amplified.com features the largest selection of songs available for secure download on the Internet, and was the first to integrate that feature with custom CDs for any of its licensed songs. The company is owned by its investors, employees and Philips Electronics.

About Compact Connection: Compact Connection, Inc. (CCI) is a direct music marketer offering its customers the simultaneous option of purchasing CDs and cassettes directly on their web site at http://www.compactconnection.com, or through their toll free number (1-800-957-1111), where they can speak directly with one of CCI's customer service representatives to complete their music purchases.

CCI is a subsidiary of TeleServices International Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TSIG). TSIG is a leader in providing fully integrated global teleservices to companies that are in the business of selling products and services via toll-free numbers and the Internet.

About National Record Mart: National Record Mart Inc. is a specialty retailer of pre-recorded music and entertainment products. The company currently has 174 stores in 30 states and is the nation's fifth largest specialty retailer of pre-recorded music.

December 1998, National Record Mart Inc. launched two sites that represent the stores NRM Music, Waves Music, Tempo Music, Vibes Music, Music Oasis, and Music X. http://www.nrmmusic.com and http://www.wavesmusic.com are online music stores as well as sources for music news and information.

About Tower Records: Tower Records has long been recognized and respected throughout the world for its unique brand of retailing. Founded in 1960 in Sacramento, California, the company's phenomenal expansion over the last 3 decades has brought the Tower name and retail philosophy to 17 countries across the globe, including the US, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico, Argentina, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Colombia.

Tower operates 217 record, book and video stores, 2 art galleries and 6 outlet stores. The company launched one of the first Internet music stores on America Online in June 1995 and followed with its online store at http://www.towerrecords.com in November 1996.

About TWEC.com: TWEC.com is the online hub for Trans World Entertainment's retail stores Coconuts Music & Movies, FYE (For Your Entertainment), Planet Music, Record Town, Saturday Matinee, Strawberries, and Waxie Maxie's. The site features all the music CDs, cassettes, DVD and VHS home video that are available at its "brick and mortar" counterparts, with CD-ROMs and video games available shortly. TWEC.com is home to Trans World's "Backstage Pass" series featuring live concerts, online chats, in-store artist appearances, in-studio performances and downloadable entertainment media.

About The Wherehouse : The Wherehouse (Torrance, CA) is engaged in the business of selling pre-recorded music and video products and other entertainment related products, and the rental of videocassettes and other products. It is owned by Cerberus Partners L.P., Alvarez & Marsal and other limited shareholders. The company owns and operates nearly 600 stores in 33 states and recently purchased the Blockbuster Music chain. In addition, it owns and operates The Rocky Mountain Record Chain in Colorado, The Odyssey Records Chain in Nevada and the Tu Musica chain in California.