The new relationship includes cross-promotional efforts to increase traffic between the two leading Internet music sites and provide consumers an additional editorial viewpoint on MP3.com's vast array of music.

The arrangement amplifies MP3.com's (MPPP) efforts to promote the music posted to its site by speeding the inclusion of its artists in Listen.com's music directory. Listen.com editors will expand the integration of MP3.com artists into the directory's genre-tree of 600 musical styles, list similar-sounding big name acts, write original reviews, and encourage Listen.com members to add comments. From this location, visitors can preview audio clips and download songs. Direct links to MP3.com's artist pages will also be established on Listen.com's syndication partner sites, including Excite, Lycos, shockwave.com and Snap.com.

As part of the agreement, Listen.com will become an MP3.com Premier Affiliate to help drive sales of digital automatic music CDs and other MP3.com-branded merchandise. MP3.com and Listen.com will also collaborate on promotional activities to raise the awareness of Listen.com to MP3.com visitors.

"MP3.com offers listeners the largest and most diverse music collection available on the Internet," said Michael Robertson, chairman and chief executive officer of MP3.com. "Our affiliation with Listen.com exposes MP3.com's talented artists to more consumers and gives fans the opportunity to experience insightful reviews and editorials on their favorite music."

"MP3.com is bringing tens of thousands of artists to the web," said Listen.com's founder and CEO, Rob Reid. "And, as the legal downloadable music market expands into the hundreds of thousands of artists, Listen.com will work closely with MP3.com to ensure that the site's artists will continue to get the broadest possible exposure on Listen.com's comprehensive directory to downloadable music."