Universal Music Group (UMG) Emerges as One of the Country's Top 10 Online Music Destinations

Universal Music Group (UMG) Emerges as One of the Country's Top 10 Online Music Destinations

Leads the Industry in Unique Monthly Visitors According to comScore

NEW YORK, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group (UMG), the world's leading music company, has surpassed its competition to become one of the country's Top 10 online music destinations, according to new data just released by comScore, a recognized leader in measuring the digital world.

For the month of November, UMG ranked Top 10 within the comScore Entertainment Music category, edging out the next nearest recording company in unique visitors by almost double, according to data from the comScore Media Metrix service. UMG's online music properties include cutting-edge and dynamic artist-related web sites that feature premium audio and video product, exclusive programming, fan information, compelling editorial content and news, and online shopping.

"With comScore recently announcing that users viewed more than 13.5 billion online videos in October alone, it is clear that the music category continues to represent a strong opportunity for advertisers seeking to reach important audience segments," stated David Ellner, Executive Vice President of Global Digital Initiatives for UMG. "The fact that UMG has become the leading music company destination online this year is a testament to the diversity and incessant appeal of our artists and their music, and the commitment of our labels to helping create such compelling destinations. Moving forward, we are committed to building on this growth to deliver even more value to our advertisers and to music lovers everywhere."

The Top 10 music destinations according to comScore Media Metrix data for November 2008 include: AOL, Yahoo, MySpace Music, MTV, ArtisDirect, Clear Channel Online, PlayList, MSN Music, MetroLyrics and UMG. Earlier this week, comScore also released October 2008 data from the comScore Video Metrix service, reporting that U.S. Internet users viewed 13.5 billion online videos during the month, representing an increase of 45 percent versus a year ago.

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the world's leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry's leading global music publishing operation.

Universal Music Group's record labels include A&M/Octone, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal Music Latino, Universal Records South and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalog is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division; and Helter Skelter, its live music agency.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.

Source: Universal Music Group

CONTACT: Maria Ho-Burge of Universal Music Group, +1-212-331-2569

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