Independent Label Signs On To iTunes Music Store

A pple launched the iTunes Music Store (iTMS) in April, kicking off with the support of all five major labels that comprise the RIAA. By June, the company was courting independent labels, as well, and many independents immediately began singing the praises of the iTMS.

While Apple still has not updated its official song count at the iTMS, nor has it specifically extolled a list of independents that have signed up for the service, one more independent label has officially declared that it has reached a deal with the Cupertino company. That label is Matador Records, the home of punk vanguard legend Richard Hell, modern UK sensation Belle & Sebastian, and many other acts. From Matador Records:

Matador Records is pleased to announce that major chunks of its extensive catalog -- as well as new releases -- are available as of today from Apple is iTunes Music Store , where, until now, no independent labels have been represented. At an a la carte price of 0.99 per song or for 9.99 for an entire album, cultured music fans in the U.S. (dummies too) can download AAC files of tracks by Interpol, Cat Power, Yo La Tengo, Stephen Malkmus, Mogwai, Guided By Voices, Pretty Girls Make Graves and countless others. Very shortly, the iTunes Store will be available to users of Windows PCs as well.

Said tracks are playable via iTunes 4 on their Mac using OS X, and through Appleis iPod. They can also be burned to CDR as part of self-compiled "mixes".

Matador and iTunes will be adding more new releases and catalog titles every week.

Matador Records is a New York based independent label that has been getting the job done since 1989. Part of the Beggars Group family of labels, Matadoris catalog includes titles from the above artists as well as Pavement, Pizzicato Five, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Belle & Sebastian, Cornelius, Arab Strap, Matmos, Bardo Pond, Mark Eitzel, Richard Hell, Tommy Keene, Arsonists, Preston School Of Industry and others.

In the months ahead, we hope to make exclusive materials available via the iTunes Music Store, such as previews from forthcoming studio albums, outtakes, live tracks, demo versions, etc.

Matadoris metadata and encoded content will be delivered to iTunes via Consolidated Independent (CI), a UK-based company specializing in centralizing and delivering all forms of data for independent labels. CI is a joint venture between playlouder.com and State 51 .

We found music from Belle & Sebastian, Arsonists, Interpol, and others available for download now. You can find more information about Matador Records at the labelis Web site.