A decade ago, online retailer CD Baby made it possible for musicians to sell their music directly to fans without the facilitation of a major label.

Thanks to a recently announced partnership with mobile service retailer Txttunes, consumers can now purchase MP3s from CD Baby's catalog that will be charged to their cell phone accounts rather than a credit card. The MP3, which does not have digital rights management protective coding, can then be downloaded and played on either a Mac or PC. Users can also create their own wireless communities and receive tour and merchandise offers. Txxtunes is currently carried by Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Boost Mobile and Cellular One, among others, and is expected to launch internationally later this year.

Txtunes CEO Matt Coleman is excited about the partnership, as the new deal will give Txttunes access to a growing sector of the music industry. "We are focused on the independent music scene," he says, "and we feel its a great way to enter the marketplace, as it's been growing at a steady rate."

www.txttunes.com
www.cdbaby.com

Comment