Starbucks Hear Music and Lava Records Team to Break Emerging Band, Antigone Rising

Business Wire, April 5, 2005

SEATTLE -- New Starbucks CD Series Announced; Collaboration Creates Innovative Paradigm for Music Marketing and Distribution

Starbucks (Nasdaq:SBUX) Hear Music(TM) and Lava Records, a free-standing label within the Warner Music Group, today announced plans to jointly launch the emerging Lava band, Antigone Rising, via a new Starbucks Hear Music proprietary CD series entitled "Hear Music(TM) Debut" and a unique Starbucks marketing campaign. Antigone Rising's first album, From The Ground Up, will be sold exclusively in the more than 4,400 Starbucks Company-operated stores in the United States and on www.starbucks.com and www.hearmusic.com beginning May 11, 2005. Today's announcement further extends Starbucks commitment to transforming the way music is discovered, acquired and delivered.

Lava recording artist Antigone Rising was selected as the inaugural band featured in Starbucks Hear Music's new "Hear Music(TM) Debut" CD series created specifically to introduce new and developing artists. The album, From The Ground Up, is a live, acoustic performance, which was recorded exclusively for Starbucks customers at the legendary Sony Studios in New York City.

"With Ray Charles, Bebe Winans and Tina Turner among others, we have demonstrated that we can effectively leverage our unique marketing and distribution assets as well as our customer base to support established artists," said Ken Lombard, president of Starbucks Entertainment. "Today's announcement marks another step in our overall music strategy, and enables us to uniquely parlay our marketing and distribution strength to break new artists. It also demonstrates the varied ways we are working with innovative labels and partners, such as Lava, to positively influence the music industry."

Music from Antigone Rising, the all-female quintet hailing from the New York/Tri-State area, is a refreshing return to 70s-Era classic songwriting. The band has toured in forty-three out of the fifty states and their no-nonsense, stripped down, acoustic blend of rock 'n' roll has drawn comparisons to an all-female Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and Aerosmith.

"We are excited about our partnership with Starbucks as well as being the first band selected for the 'Hear Music Debut' series," said Antigone Rising lead singer, Cassidy. "Now more than ever it's important to have strong alliances, and creative marketing, in order to get your music heard. We believe that with the amazing team at Starbucks Hear Music, in addition to the great people at Lava, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expose new people to Antigone Rising."

Starbucks Marketing Campaign

Timed to coincide with the release of the album on May 11, 2005, Starbucks marketing support will include in-store signage, point-of-purchase displays, in-store music play, and a Wi-Fi network promotion. Starbucks will also utilize its relationship with XM Satellite Radio to offer an Antigone Rising special on Hear Music(TM) Channel 75 on XM Satellite Radio. Marketing efforts will also include in-flight programming on United Airlines, a Starbucks marketing partner.

Media Opportunity

To celebrate the collaboration between Lava and Starbucks, and to introduce media to the band, the companies will co-host an Antigone Rising showcase the week of May 18 in New York City. For media passes, please contact Lisbeth Cassaday, Lava Records, 212-707-2553.

About Antigone Rising

Antigone Rising was founded in the late 90s by sibling guitarists Cathy and Kristen Henderson. The band also features powerhouse vocalist Cassidy, Dena Tauriello on drums and Jen Zielenbach on bass. The five-piece ensemble's blend of 70s-era rock 'n' roll has taken them from playing small clubs up and down the eastern seaboard, to opening up for Aerosmith and former Black Crowes' Rich Robinson during the summer of 2004. For more information about the band, visit: www.antigonerising.com

About Lava Records

Jason Flom, current Chairman and CEO of Atlantic Records, founded Lava Records in 1996 as a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, a division of the Warner Music Group. The label has discovered talents such as Kid Rock, matchbox twenty, Simple Plan, Sugar Ray, Tori Amos, Trans Siberian Orchestra and Uncle Kracker. Since inception, Lava has sold over 90 million albums worldwide.

About Starbucks Hear Music

Founded in 1990, and acquired by Starbucks Coffee Company in 1999, Starbucks Hear Music is the voice of music at Starbucks. Starbucks Hear Music is dedicated to creating a new and convenient way for consumers to discover, experience and acquire all genres of great music through its unique editorial voice, CD compilations, and music programming for Starbucks coffeehouses worldwide, as well as its innovative partnerships with other music labels to produce, market and distribute both exclusive and non-exclusive music. In 2004, Starbucks Hear Music launched a 24-hour digital music channel with XM Satellite Radio (XM Channel 75), the Starbucks Hear Music(TM) Coffeehouse in Santa Monica where customers can select from over 15,000 CDs or burn their own custom mixes, and the Starbucks Hear Music(TM) media bars, a service that offers custom CD burning at select Starbucks retail locations in Seattle and Austin. Starbucks Hear Music(TM) CDs are featured at Hear Music and Starbucks retail locations, as well as www.starbucks.com and www.hearmusic.com.