UK-based 7digital and Warner Music Group have now finalized a European-wide licensing deal, according to disclosures early this morning. That means MP3s across the continent, instead of the usual, country-by-country negotiation. Starting immediately, 7digital stores in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Portugal are being stocked with the content, an expansion beyond the UK, Ireland, Spain, Austria and Germany. Other countries will soon be announced.
MP3s do not appear to be sparking broader sales jumps, and so far, 7digital has been cagey on the matter. But a broader ecosystem of partners are all beneficiaries of the expanded content availability. “Using our API, services like Spotify will be able to make one-click downloads a reality, meaning users will only be one step away from owning an MP3 of their favorite track,” explained 7digital chief Ben Drury. Other partners include Last.fm, Winamp, and Songbird.
