Spiralfrog is a music download service based in New York that intends to commence service in December 2006.Unlike other legal download services, Spiralfrog will be entirely supported by advertising. No details have been released as to how this will operate, though speculation suggests advertising may me included in music files. For example, before or after a track or group of tracks play, a 'jingle' may play in similar fashion to commercial radio.Spiralfrog have not yet (29th August 2006) released details about file formats, the available bitrate or client software, although it is expected that MP3 files wil be used. While files downloaded via Spiralfrog will play on most portable MP3 players is is likely that iPod players wil not be able to access files.Universal Music have signed a distribution deal with Spiralfrog to distribute their music in USA and Canada.
Universal Music Group (UMG), formerly MCA Music Entertainment (see Music Corporation of America), is the largest business group and family of record labels in the record industry. With a 25.5% market share, it is one of the Big Four record labels. In February 2006, the group became 100% owned by French media conglomerate Vivendi SA when Vivendi purchased the last 20% from Matsushita, the group's sole owner from 1990 to 1995 and co-owner from 1995 to 2006. UMG's record labels have some of the world's biggest artists including Bon Jovi, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Eminem, Luciano Pavarotti, U2, Kanye West, and 50 Cent. It also owns one of the largest music publishing businesses of the world, the Universal Music Publishing Group.
