Universal Music Group (News - Alert) (UMG) and imeem have signed an agreement to provide the imeem community with on-demand, interactive streaming of Universal’s extensive digital music and video catalog.

 

The agreement with UMG makes imeem reportedly the first social networking company to offer full-length, streaming access to the entire music and video catalogs of all four major music companies on an advertising-supported basis.

 

imeem says that starting December 10, its audience of over 19 million users can listen to and express themselves with music and video from UMG’s digital catalog, which includes artists such as Kanye West, Amy Winehouse, Fall Out Boy, 50 Cent, Black Eyed Peas, The Pussycat Dolls, Gwen Stefani, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Maroon 5, and Nelly, among many others.

 

“Universal Music Group is committed to exploring new ways for consumers to discover and enjoy our artists’ music online,” said Doug Morris, Chairman and CEO at UMG. “imeem has developed an innovative way to make our artists’ music a central part of the social networking experience. More importantly, they’ve done so the right way — by working with UMG to provide an exciting musical experience for consumers, while ensuring that our artists are fairly compensated for the use of their works.”

 

Caldwell, founder and CEO of imeem, commented that the recent agreement is a significant step forward for his company and a defining moment for social networking and ad-supported music.

 

“imeem has pioneered a way to bring fans, bands, and brands together in a way that’s good for everyone. Our agreement with UMG will make imeem’s media-centric experience even more compelling and firmly establishes our position as the leading social media network,” Caldwell added.

 

The agreement is a milestone for imeem’s ad-supported social music and media model, which allows artists, labels, studios, and media companies to make their music and video freely available for interactive streaming to the imeem community and share in the advertising revenue.

 

imeem’s ad-supported model gives brands and businesses new ways to connect and interact with consumers in the 24-and-under youth demographic. imeem users can upload their favorite music, video, and photos, search for and stream full-length audio and videos on-demand, and easily find new content through social discovery features.

 

In addition, the imeem community can also express themselves with their favorite content by creating and sharing custom music and video playlists with friends and fans on imeem and on third-party sites across the Web.

 

After the recent agreement, imeem now offers songs and videos from all the four major music companies and thousands of independent labels. Apple (News - Alert), Nike, Microsoft, AT&T Wireless, Toyota Scion, T-Mobile and Puma, are reportedly working with imeem on advertising and brand sponsorships.