AOL Music Announces New Initiatives in Online Music

Business Wire, July 23, 2001

Business and Technology Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 23, 2001

Artist Discovery Network, Radio@AOL, and Other Advances

to Create New Opportunities for Consumers to

Conveniently Discover and Experience Music

AOL Music Channel Ranked the no.1 Online

Music Destination By Media Metrix

America Online, Inc., the world's leading interactive services company (NYSE: AOL), today announced a range of initiatives that will transform the online music experience for AOL members and other Internet users by offering new ways to discover, experience and own music in one familiar, easy-to-use environment, and lay a foundation for innovations ranging from new forms of music programming to subscription-based online music services.

The company announced two new offerings, the Artist Discovery Network, an all-new outlet for music fans featuring content from major and independent record companies, and Radio@AOL, a breakthrough new service that transforms the conventional radio experience. These initiatives, together with a range of new enhancements to the service's popular music offerings and content, will allow AOL to provide the online audience -ranging from die-hard fans to the casual listener - with a depth, breadth and level of convenience that consumers have not had before in a single, integrated music platform.

The initiatives announced today extend AOL Music's own leading properties - the AOL(R) Music Channel, Spinner(TM) and Winamp(TM) - which together are visited by nearly 25 million unique users each month. AOL's Music Channel alone had 23 million unique users last month and was the no.1 music destination for June, according to Media Metrix. Spinner.com continues to be the most popular Internet radio offering, with over 150 channels of original programming, while the Winamp player now has more than 90 million registered installations, more than triple the number from a year ago.

Kevin Conroy, Senior Vice President and Head of AOL Music, said: "The programming, products and services we're introducing will expand opportunities for consumers to experience music in a variety of ways. AOL's wide range of music assets and expertise positions us to drive the growth of digital music and make the Internet even more central to members' lives."

AOL's integrated applications weave together the ability to listen to Internet radio, to access information about artists and music content, to play CDs and download music, and to connect with an online music community, and make it more convenient for consumers to enjoy and personalize music online. AOL's integrated music offerings will also help to fuel the growing adoption of broadband by linking today's digital music experience with services designed to take advantage of faster high-speed, "always on" connections.

New AOL Music Initiatives

- AOL(R) Artist Discovery Network lets members discover the best of online
music such as premiere original programming, in-depth artist information,
genre-based "Listening Lounges," and localized content via direct zip code
links to AOL Local's music pages. Artist Discovery Network will feature content
from major and independent record labels including Arista, Ark 21, Atlantic,
Dreamworks, Elektra, Grand Royal, J Records, Priority, RCA, RLG, TVT and Warner
Bros., as well as the rich programming and editorial perspectives of partners
such as Digital Club Network CNN Worldbeat, and National Public Radio (AOL
Keyword: Artist Discovery Network).

- Radio@AOL blends traditional radio features with top-of-the-line original
content, programming from leading partners and integrated retail offerings.
Launching this fall, the breakthrough new radio service will take its place on
the toolbar of America Online's next-generation AOL 7.0, where it will become a
key part of the AOL experience for the service's over 30 million members. Among
the 50-plus channels of innovative programming at Radio@AOL, members will find
news, information and entertainment, as well as AOL exclusive programming,
including an interactive weekly countdown show, celebrity-programmed and
kids-only channels, holiday features and other original offerings.

Artist Discovery Network and Radio@AOL join a wide range of enhanced features and services to help consumers discover, experience and own music online, including:

- Ground Zero(TM), AOL Music's weekly new music show featuring host

Chris Douridas, will now offer members in search of the hottest

new music the chance to peruse archives of content from Chris'

wide-ranging, intimate interviews and live performances from both

established and up-and-coming musicians. This week Ground Zero

presents singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco performing songs from her

all-new album Revelling/Reckoning.

- "Artist of the Month," AOL Music's innovative multimedia showcase

for top artists - such as Janet Jackson and Sugar Ray and current

"Artist of the Month," P. Diddy - brings members content ranging

from video sneak previews and global listening parties to

exclusive tracks, advance ticket sales, news, photos and more