Microsoft and Alliance Entertainment Announce Long-Term Licensing Agreement

REDMOND, Wash., and CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., Nov. 26, 2001 — Microsoft Corp. and Alliance Entertainment Corp. today announced that they have entered into a multiyear, worldwide agreement to license Alliances All Media Guide (AMG) entertainment databases for a wide range of Microsoft® products, services and technologies. This agreement expands the existing Microsoft-AMG relationship to include enterprisewide licensing and strategic opportunities.


With more than 50 percent of home Internet users regularly listening to music on their PC, Microsoft is increasing its pace of innovation in digital media software and
Web services to meet our customers demands,”
said Will Poole, vice president of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft.
“The quality and sophistication of AMGs music and movie content databases are key ingredients in our ongoing enhancements to the Windows® and MSN® experiences.”

The immediate results of this agreement can already be seen in the integration of the AMG data into the core functionality of the recently launched Windows XP operating system, contributing to the enhanced digital media experience that Windows XP provides. The extensive AMG descriptive data (e.g., artist, album, track and DVD movie information, including discographies and album reviews) is woven throughout the Windows Media™
Player for Windows XP, creating an entertaining, informative and engaging user experience. Going forward, other properties using AMG data to bring additional enjoyment and information for consumers include Microsoft Plus!, Windows Media Player 7.x, WindowsMedia.com, MSN Music and MSN Search.

In making the announcement, Eric Weisman, president and CEO of Alliance Entertainment, said,
“We are extremely excited to have Microsoft as a strategic player in the digital media arena. Given the global reach of Microsoft products, this strategic agreement will further establish AMG as the metadata standard for entertainment digital media.”

About Alliance Entertainment

Alliance Entertainment ( http://www.aent.com/ ) is a leading total solution provider of business-to-business infrastructure services, which are essential to transact commerce in the home entertainment product marketplace. Through its Distribution and Fulfillment Services Group, Alliance offers an extensive product inventory (including CDs, cassettes, DVDs, videos, video games and related merchandise), e-commerce fulfillment capabilities, and innovative technology and support services for todays marketplace. Through its Media and Internet Services Group, Alliance is a leading distributor of digital entertainment through Digital On-Demand ( http://www.reddotnet.com/ ). In addition, Alliance is a leading content provider through the All Media Guide databases. AMGs customers license its e-commerce enabling entertainment databases to support their Internet retailing businesses. AMG is also a developer of proprietary Web sites for music ( http://www.allmusic.com/ ), movies (http://www.allmovie.com/) and games ( http://www.allgame.com/ ).

About All Media Guide

All Media Guide has created the worlds largest and most comprehensive information databases for music, video, DVDs and video games. With coverage of both in-print and out-of-print titles, the massive AMG archive includes reviews, biographies, ratings, images, titles, credits, essays, plot synopses and thousands of descriptive categories. All content is original, written expressly for AMG by a worldwide network of professional staff and freelance writers specializing in music, movies and games. The AMG databases — All Music Guide, All Movie Guide and All Game Guide — are licensed by major retailers and Internet content sites and are available to the public through its Web sites ( http://www.allmusic.com/ , http://www.allmovie.com/ and http://www.allgame.com/ ) and through its series of books, All Music Guide, All Music Guide to Rock, All Music Guide to Country, All Music Guide to Jazz, All Music Guide to Blues and All Music Guide to Electronica.

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, Windows, Windows Media and MSN 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.

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