The European arm of RealNetworks Inc. has launched a raft of online radio stations devoted to mobile-phone manufacturing giant Nokia’s U.K. live-music events in 2005.
In what is billed as the first initiative of its kind in Europe, each of the new Nokia Raw stations is dedicated to the five participating events: the Nokia Urban Music Festival, the Nokia Isle of Wight Festival, the Nokia Unleashed Music Festival, the Carling Weekend (Reading and Leeds Festivals) and the Nokia Raw Tour.
The songs for four of the five radio services feature content from the festivals’ artists; tracks are selected from RealNetworks’ European catalog of recorded music licensed from the majors and several independents.
The fifth station, the Nokia Raw Tour service, is devoted to emerging and breakthrough acts such as El Presidente and the Needs. Those acts played on the Nokia Raw Tour, which started in September and comprised more than 150 gigs nationwide. Listeners will also be able to download free MP3 recordings of performances from the Nokia Raw Tour live shows.
