7digital makes progress with Juke venture, confirms new live music product

Digital music solutions provider 7digital Group updated the market on territory launches for the ‘Juke’ streaming music service on behalf of client MediaMarktSaturn on Tuesday, and gave more details of a recent contract win.

The AIM-traded firm said that, as it had previously announced, it has been working on a long-term contract with MediaMarktSaturn to develop the Juke streaming music service throughout Europe.

It confirmed on Tuesday that the service was successfully launched in April in the Netherlands and that last week, Juke was successfully relaunched on the 7digital platform in the key German market.

MMS had reportedly further indicated that they expected to launch in Spain in the coming months, with 7digital expecting the service ultimately to be extended to all 15 territories in which MMS operates.

All territory launches involved setup fees and an increase in monthly charges for access to the 7digital platform.

On the contract win, 7digital had announced a deal on 23 April in the area of live music, saying on Tuesday that it was now able to provide more detail.

The company said it had signed a contract with Powerchord, whose PEEX brand purported to improve the live music experience, allowing concert-goers to experience enhanced audio both during performances and to download tracks from concerts after the performance.

7digital signed a three-year deal with PEEX to provide technology and reporting services for the platform.

PEEX would be launching “soon” in the UK, the US and Europe, with the free PEEX app and downloads of live shows available from an unnamed “A-list” artist, while the PEEX wearable technology would go on pre-sale later in summer.

7digital also told shareholders that it intended to announce its preliminary results for the year ended 31 December on or before 29 June.

“Our core strategy has focused on developing the next generation of digital music services that combine the best of radio and streaming,” said CEO Simon Cole.

“The latest Juke territory launches represent the same commitment from our client MediaMarktSaturn.”

Cole said the company had always thought that innovation in digital music services was where significant new business for 7digital would come from, with the new contract with Powerchord being held up as a “good example” of that.

“We're delighted to be working with clients who are serving their customers through innovating in digital music.”