V2 Music Partners With Audible Magic

Businesswire: Audible Magic, the developer of unique patented audio fingerprinting technology, announced yesterday that it has signed an agreement with Virgin Group's V2 Music, the UK's preeminent indie label. The news is rather significant as V2 is the first European-based independent label to partner with California-based Audible Magic and is also the first UK Indie label to sign a deal protecting and supporting legitimate P2P downloads...In addition to V2, Audible's corporate partners include CMJ, Extreme Networks, Palisade Systems, SESAC, and Loudeye Technologies. (EMI partnered with Audible three years ago, Universal signed on in 2003 and Sony/BMG in 2004.)

Under the multi-faceted agreement, V2 will register their present catalog with Audible's vast database of digitally fingerprinted content - which features one of the largest collections of copyrighted songs in the world. Audible's CopySense technology will be implemented to monitor all current and future V2 tracks and enable the legal P2P download and distribution of V2's online music. (By registering V2's catalog with Audible, the label basically enables "secure downloads" with all the P2P services that are using Audible for their content registry services...)

Audible's technology reportedly allows P2P network operators (i.e., Israel's iMesh) to not only recognize copyrighted works flowing through the network and flag them for future payment, but it will also block the transmission of unauthorized music files...As part of the deal , V2's catalogue will also be registered with Audible's RepliCheck service, which is intended to help prevent the manufacturing of CDs that infringe copyright...