SANTA CLARA, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Contos Dunne Communications) -PopMatters, the leading independent cultural criticism magazine on the Web, and Mercora, Inc., the world's largest social radio network, today announced the launch of Listen Up!, an exclusive program for music labels to increase promotion and publicity for their artists at www.popmatters.com and www.mercora.com.
Music labels participating in the launch include Kill Rock Stars, Ninja Tune, Thrill Jockey, Vanguard, Warp, World's Fair, Sugar Hill, Definitive Jux, Yep Roc, and Record Collection. PopMatters and Mercora are partnering to bring independent music label artists to a global audience.
Under terms of the partnership, PopMatters and Mercora will showcase artists and music labels will receive premier streaming media placements within PopMatters editorial content, in the PopMatters media center, and in Mercora's music channels that reach over one million users worldwide. Music labels invited to participate will also receive revenue through SoundExchange®.
'We are pleased to join this exclusive program with PopMatters and Mercora," said Jeff Waye, label manager for Ninja Tune. 'By participating in Listen Up!, we can introduce our artists to new music fans and drive revenue growth in online and offline music stores worldwide." In fact, Mercora partners have demonstrated increases in online music store sales by as much as 30 percent or more.
Music labels participating in the launch feature recording artists such as Aesop Rock, Allison Moorer, Amon Tobin, Blues Traveler, Califone, Coldcut, Deerhoof, Dolly Parton, Edwin McCain, EL-P, Grizzly Bear, Harvey Danger, Herbalizer, Hot Hot Heat, J Dilla, Joan Osborne, Kristin Hersh, Linda Ronstadt, Macromantics, Marah, Midlake, Mindy Smith, Mr. Lif, Mouse on Mars, Murs, Nick Lowe, Nickel Creek, Paul Weller, Roots Manuva, Sloan, Squarepusher, The Apples in Stereo, The Reverend Horton Heat, The Robert Cray Band, The Walkmen, Tortoise, and many more.
"We are delighted to partner with Mercora to drive greater awareness, promotion, and sales for music labels and recording artists," said Sarah Zupko, editor and publisher, PopMatters. "Through integration with editorial content, PopMatters readers can enjoy a rich user experience with the ability to read reviews and listen to music simultaneously."
In its more than seven-year history of publishing smart and edgy cultural criticism, PopMatters has become one of the Web's most prestigious cultural sources and foremost cultural tastemakers, especially within the 18-34 demographic. PopMatters has more than 1.2 million unique monthly readers and more than 15 million monthly pageviews and these figures are increasing each and every month.
Since its inception in 2003, Mercora has been a positive force in the online music space. The social radio network enables new music discovery and drives purchase behavior by providing online users with the ability to search, find, and listen to music from the world's largest legal catalogue. Music on the Mercora network is 100 percent programmed by users who gain instant access to over 100,000 music channels streamed in CD-quality, over three million unique tracks, and 200,000 individual artists across all music genres. Music fans can discover new music for free and purchase downloads, ringtones, CDs, and tickets from Mercora's advertising and commerce partners.
