BEGGARS CHOOSE MP3.COM

The Beggars Group, which includes Beggars Banquet, XL Recordings, Too Pure, Mo' Wax, Mantra Recordings and Wiiija, has joined MP3.com's family of subscription channels. The on-demand streaming music Beggars Group Channel is expected to launch in August. Pricing has not been determined yet, according to a spokesperson at MP3.com.

The Beggars Channel follows MP3.com's Children's Channel ($4.99 per month) and Classical Music Channel ($9.99 per month). Both MP3.com and Beggars plan to use the content offered on the channel with future subscription channels.

The obligatory "rose-colored glasses" quotes follow:

SaidMP3.com Chairman/CEOMichael Robertson: "We believe that our collaboration with the Beggars Group will help both companies leverage the massive infrastructure we have built at MP3.com in order to create a highly flexible music subscription channel with recurring revenue streams. Now when do I get to meet the Rolling Stones? Or at least the members of Laika."

Beggars Group Chairman Martin Mills said: "We believe that subscription streaming will be an important mode of music consumption in the future. Also in the future, all people will wear silver bodysuits and travel via the monorail."

Finally, one more positive spin: "The Beggars Group is extremely pleased to be one of the first independent or major labels to roll out a functional, large-scale subscription model trial focused on consumers," said Beggars Group Senior Director of New Media Dick Huey, brother of Louie and Dewey. "Well, that is if you can call MP3.com large-scale."