Q To Draw Readers With A Million Free Songs

Readers of August’s edition of top music magazine, Q, will be given the chance to listen to over a million tunes for free with online downloading service, Napster.

The initiative will see Emap’s flagship music magazine boast the biggest covermounted CD ever, featuring 15 summer tracks from artists such as, the Flaming Lips, The Magic Numbers, Teenage Fanclub and Feeder.

The ‘Here Comes the Sun’ CD plays as normal, but when readers put it into their computers there is a link taking them through to the Napster service where they can try over a million full-length songs, free of charge for a month.

Commenting on the promotion, Paul Rees, editor of Q said: “As the essential music guide, Q is not only point our readers to the very best in music, but also to reflecting the way they listen to it.”

Rees added: “The download generation has arrived, and Q is proud to be at the forefront. The ‘Here Come the Summer CD’ confirms this, and this is just the start of things.”

Last summer, Emap revamped and relaunched Q, aiming to assert its authority as the ‘essential guide to music’ and Europe’s number one selling music monthly. Increasing importance was placed on including information on downloads, MP3s and digital music players like the iPod, as well as traditional CDs in the new look title.

Emap promoted the relaunch with a £600,000 cross-media advertising campaign, using digital television and online activity to reinforce the magazine’s image (see Emap Launches Campaign To Promote Q Redesign).

In the latest ABC figures for July to December 2004, the success of the relaunch was reflected, with Q achieving a circulation of 162,574, a 0.6% increase year on year (seeABC Results Jul-Dec 2004: Metal Hammer Rises On Rock Resurgence).

Emap: 01733 568 900 www.emap.co.uk