Groove Mobile and The Orchard Launch First-Ever Full Track, Off-Portal Over-the-Air Download in the U.S

Business Wire, Oct 24, 2007

Service Works Across Multiple Carriers and Makes Finding and Buying Music as Easy as Sending a Text Message

SAN FRANCISCO -- Groove Mobile, the world's leading mobile music service provider, and The Orchard, a global leader of digital music, video and new media services, will release the first-ever full track, off-portal download available in the U.S. for free during CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment, Oct. 23-25 in San Francisco. The exclusive track, "Can't Hold Back," from ground-breaking hip-hop artist Aceyalone, will be available across multiple carriers for download by any user with a music-capable phone. After CTIA, the song can be downloaded for the purchase price of $1.99.

"This cross-carrier solution allows artists to get their music to as wide an audience as possible, while providing consumers with an incredibly easy-to-use interface," said Adam Sexton, chief marketing officer for Groove Mobile. "By simply sending a text message, consumers can now buy the latest tracks from The Orchard, and download them directly to their mobile phones."

According to the Mobile Marketing Association, the off-portal content business has grown by 400 percent over the last year, accounting for an estimated $750 million in the U.S. alone. The first mobile music provider in the U.S. to provide full track over-the-air downloads, Groove Mobile continues to drive the mobile music market forward, providing mobile music solutions for wireless operators and retailers in addition to innovative off-deck solutions. As an alternative to carrier-driven music stores, off-portal downloads provide opportunities for labels, aggregators and artists to reach fans directly, as consumers are increasingly turning to their mobile phones as their music player of choice.

"The Groove Mobile platform is exciting for our artists because they can launch the newest content directly to their fans quicker and in the best format - DRM-free MP3s," said Greg Scholl, president and chief executive of The Orchard. "This encourages more of our artists to release music on their own terms, which ultimately develops a closer connection with their fan base."

Groove Mobile's direct-to-consumer solutions are compatible across multiple carriers on a wide variety of music-capable phones. Music fans can access content by texting to a short code (such as on a promotional flier, poster, television ad, screen at live events, etc.) that will send the user an SMS link to the specific artist's WAP page where they can download the song directly to their phone. The song will play back on the phone's native music player. Fans can also discover music via browsing the artist's Web or WAP site. Groove Mobile artist stores are compatible with more handsets worldwide than any other music platform.

"It's a good time to be an artist, since digital technology gives us new avenues to deliver music directly to our fans," said Aceyalone. "I am looking forward to delivering my music to the millions of mobile phones out there with this upcoming exclusive download opportunity with The Orchard and Groove Mobile at CTIA this year."

One of the most prominent underground hip-hop artists in the nation, Los Angeles rapper Aceyalone is set to release his latest high-concept LP, Lightning Strikes, on New York label Decon. His newest collection, consisting of 15 dancehall-inspired tracks, is a distinctively offbeat blend of hip hop and dancehall.

About Groove Mobile

Groove Mobile is the world's leading mobile music service. Groove Mobile's Complete Music Gateway includes Full Track Mobile Downloads, Peer-to-Peer Sharing and Personalized Music Recommendations, in addition to providing Personalized and Programmed Streaming Radio, Music Subscriptions, and more. Groove Mobile powers 3UK, the UK's top rated mobile music service, and the Sprint Music Store, the first over-the-air song-download service in the U.S. Groove Mobile launched the world's first secure peer-to-peer distribution in the mobile space, with its pioneering Tell-a-Friend feature. Groove Mobile's direct download service is available in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Europe, and Australasia and provides access to music from all the major labels and the top independent labels and distributors. www.groovemobile.com.

About The Orchard

The Orchard is a leading supplier and marketer of digital music and video to digital retailers and mobile operators throughout the world. The Orchard controls an unparalleled catalogue of music from thousands of artists and labels, encompassing all genres, eras, and regions. With localized marketing in 27 countries serving all major music territories, The Orchard designs global sales programs that are executed by local experts, who are knowledgeable about and sensitive to each country's unique market dynamic. The Orchard functions as a true business partner with its clients by providing retail sales and marketing support, an extensive suite of online promotional programs, song placement, global royalty collection, global publishing administration, and in select cases, co-production investment capital. The Orchard also provides strategic media services to an impressive roster of digital retailers and leading consumer brands, ranging from publishing research, licensing and administration through comprehensive online and offline branding programs. The Orchard was founded in 1997 to provide independent artists and labels with broad and fair access to distribution. For more information, please visit us at www.theorchard.com