Microsoft Acquires MongoMusic
Investment Demonstrates Confidence in Continued Growth of Music Market
REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 13, 2000 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the acquisition of MongoMusic Inc., a leading innovator in digital music infrastructure noted for its strong collaborative approach with record labels and artists. This acquisition will be a significant addition to the MSN® network of Internet services’ efforts to provide compelling digital media content and highlights Microsoft’s growing leadership in digital music.
“MongoMusic’s expertise, technology and relationships will help further our goal of offering compelling digital music content through our existing sites such as MSN and WindowsMedia.com,”
said Jeff Camp, general manager for the Personal Service and Devices Group at Microsoft.
”
This move underscores
Microsoft’s commitment
to providing consumers with constructive ways to get great music, while respecting the rights of artists.”
“We started MongoMusic with the vision of building the infrastructure that would unite and expand the music industry and make legitimate and profitable digital distribution a reality,”
said Jeremy Hinman, founder and president of MongoMusic.
“By joining the significant efforts already under way at MSN and WindowsMedia.com, this vision will become part of the most compelling media offering on the Web.”
About MongoMusic
Headquartedred in Redwood City, Calif., MongoMusic is the leading digital music infrastructure provider. MongoMusic’s comprehensive technology offering allows customers personalized access to and dynamic control of their music. MongoMusic’s complete suite of applications includes a patent pending digital locker solution and Sounds Like technology that uses music to find music. Its services include personalized radio, music discovery and a recommendation engine as well as a digital storage locker.
Entrepreneurs Jeremy Hinman, president, ; Rolf Kaiser, vice president of development,; and Frank Flannery, directory of technology, founded the company in June 1999. The company was funded by Nokia Ventures and Sony Music.
About MSN
MSN is an integrated network of content and services that helps consumers get more from the Web — any time, any place and from any device. MSN is the most popular destination on the Internet, attracting 201 million unique monthly visitors worldwide, and is available in 33 markets in 17 languages — a broader global presence than any other portal. MSN Internet Access is the highly rated, fast and reliable way for consumers to get on the Web, now with 3 million subscribers. MSN delivers The Everyday Web™ experience by providing more than just the basics for new Internet users, with benefits for more advanced users looking for richer functionality. Best-of-breed services include the MSN Hotmail® Web-based e-mail service, the world’s largest e-mail system, with more than 70 million active accounts; MSN Messenger Service, the fastest-growing instant messaging service, with more than 18 million users; MSN Search, the second most popular search service on the Web; MSN Mobile, the customizable wireless information service; the award-winning MSN MoneyCentral™
online personal finance service; WindowsMedia.com ( http://windowsmedia.com/ ), the
most popular audio and video guide on the Internet., featuring more than 60,000 downloadable songs, over 2,000 music videos, more than 2,000 Internet radio stations, daily live audio and video wWeb casts, and a powerful search engine for finding radio, video and broadband content; MSN eShop, the one-stop online shopping resource; MSN Custom Web Sites, the easy way to share information on the Web; and many other widely used services that make MSN a leading innovator of Internet technologies. MSN is located on the Web at http://www.msn.com/ .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
#########
Microsoft, MSN, The Everyday Web, Hotmail and MoneyCentral are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
For more information, press only:
Pete Montgomery, Blanc & Otus for MongoMusic, (650) 962-4738, [email protected]
Jennifer Granston, Waggener Edstrom for Microsoft, (425) 637-9097, [email protected]
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft® Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
