Mega-retailer Best Buy is now tying with Dr. Dre on a DJ-themed concept, part of a larger move into musical instruments.  Dre has been pushing a high-end, high-priced ‘Beats by Dr. Dre’ headphones collection for some time, and the Best Buy deal will prominently feature that series.  But the initiative also includes partners Monster Cable and Beats Electronics, and customers sauntering into the ‘Club Beats’ section will have a selection of turntables, iPods, cables, software, and other DJ-themed products to choose from.

The initial rollout is happening across 300 stores.  Also party to the deal is Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, and a handful of stores will feature performances and other attention-getters to inaugurate the concept.

All of that is great news for the partners involved, though the deal carries special importance for Iovine and Universal Music Group (UMG).  Both are pushing to expand the artist brand beyond recordings and into a range of other products, part of a shift towards more comprehensive talent relationships.