Social music site Last.fm claims to be the first to offer free, global, on-demand access to a huge catalogue of music after striking up partnerships with all four major record labels.
Last inked deals with Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG, Warner and EMI - as well as CD Baby, IODA, the Orchard, Naxos and more than 150,000 independent labels and artists.
Martin Stiksel claimed the deal makes the site he founded, “the best jukebox in the world."
CBS Corporation bought up the site in May last year and president and CEO Leslie Moonves reckons, "communities built around great content are increasingly driving traffic and revenue online".
"Music," he said, "is one of the best ways to build communities on the internet."
The site is also launching what it calls an "unprecedented Artist Royalty arrangement," whereby artists not signed with a label can upload their music to Last.fm and get paid every time one of their tracks is played.
Last.fm’s other co-founder, Felix Miller gushed: "Anyone can upload tracks and get paid when those tracks are played. It’s a whole different model - one that benefits the artists, labels and advertisers - but most of all the listeners.”
The free service will be propped up by advertising.
