Warner Music poised to launch e-label

The UK's PC Pro: Warner Music poised to launch an e-label

Warner Music, one of the world's 'big four' record companies, is poised to launch an e-label. Material from artists signed to it will only be released in a digital form for downloading.

Edgar Bronfman, Warner's CEO, said that the e-label would allow it to release music from new and niche artists without incurring the cost of recording a whole album.

Somewhat surprisingly he added that the artists would retain ownership of the recordings and copyright, almost unheard of in the industry but presumably a way of sweetening what many artists will see as a cut-price record deal. ...

Warner Music has been one of the more forward-looking music labels, so this is a very welcome development.