We7's catalogue keeps on growing...

IRIS, INgrooves and BFM Digital sign up to We7

We7 today announced deals bringing more than 200,000 new and diverse tracks to music fans. Agreements with IRIS, one of the world’s leading independent Digital Distributors, InGrooves one of the largest independent digital-only music label/publishers and BFM Digital, a Distributor that gives independent labels and artists a platform to get their music into the marketplace. We7 has now licensed catalogues containing more than 750,000 songs.

The deals follow the recently announced partnership with Sony BMG, who became the first major to sign with We7 in the UK, making its huge digital catalogue available for We7 users to stream for free, with a short targeted audio ad preceding each track. The new signings follow the likes of Sanctuary Records, V2 and Nettwerk in allowing We7’s 130,000 users to download great music for free, and rights holders and labels to gain new advertising revenue streams.

IRIS distribute many renowned independent labels such as Scion, Chemikal Underground, Subliminal and Big Dada. InGrooves will be adding over 130,000 tracks from prime independent labels such as ESL Music, VP Records, Chocolate Industries and A2M Distribution. BFM Digital distributes labels such as Cristal Records, Disk Eyes and Ana Records. BFM will make 60,000 tracks available for We7 users to download and stream for free, with a short audio ad.

Clive Gardiner from We7 commented “We7 is delighted to expand further our exciting top-quality repertoire choices for our users. We7 is all about discovering and sharing great music, whether that means listening now (streaming) or listening later (downloading). I warmly welcome these latest licensors and thank them for embracing We7’s pioneering ad-funded business model which is based upon dynamically targeted advertising opportunities.”

IRIS’s Chief Marketing Officer Bryn Boughton said: “Leave it to Peter Gabriel and his colleagues to come up with such a unique and innovative way to offer fans free music whilst at the same time paying the artists and labels their fair share. We think our labels will benefit greatly from this model and we’re excited to work with We7.”

Renée Reed, Director of Business Development for INgrooves: “We’re very happy to be working with We7 and are particularly impressed by the milestones they have already reached in such a short amount of time. We love that consumers now have the option to either purchase a download or get it for free while the artist still gets their share. We7's ad-supported business model is a truly dynamic one and we're looking forward to their continued success".

Steve Corn, CEO of Big Fish Media said: “Peter Gabriel has a history of innovation in the music industry and we very pleased to be part of his latest venture. We believe that We7 represents a uniquely, creative approach to solving the inherent conflicts between a la carte and subscription models of digital music. BFM Digital feels that it is an imperative to support such alternative compensation structures and we are proud to have our diverse catalogue part of their growing service.”