Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group have all inked deals to make their content available to a new legitimate P2P service from Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based Wurld Media.
The content will be featured in a new commercial file-sharing service called Peer Impact, which is now in beta testing at peerimpact.com. Details about pricing and specifics of the consumer experience were not disclosed; however, individual tracks are expected to cost 99 cents.
The service is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2005.
Peer Impact — which is expected to feature digital rights management protection of files — will distribute only licensed and public-domain content.
Wurld Media is in the midst of content licensing negotiations with EMI, sources say.
The deals with Wurld Media are the latest in a series of moves by the major labels to embrace legitimate peer-to-peer distribution. UMG recently inked a deal with Snocap, the new P2P filtering solution from Napster founder Sean Fanning. EMI is also believed to be in talks with Snocap. Sony BMG has been linked to Mashboxx, a new P2P service that is expected to utilize Snocap technology.
