Microsoft Zune Wants to Develop Artists

Tomorrow night in Manhattan, the Microsoft Zune team will help throw an album release party for the rapper MIMS, whose single "This Is Why I'm Hot" recently dropped to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 behind Fergie and Ludacris's "Glamorous" collaboration.

The event could be a harbinger of things to come. Microsoft's Zune team is serious about involved with developing and promoting artists, who increasingly look to a wider pool of promotional and sales opportunities in order to make an impact on consumers, who no longer accumulate around a few key promotional avenues. In addition to tour and promotional support, Zune offers integration with XBox and other Microsoft platforms, in return for being able to associate itself with artists.

Combined with Amie Street's recent live campaign, this could add up toa mini-trend of digital music companies trying to extend their reachoff of the screen and into more traditional areas of the music business.

Here's adescription of the new program from a Zune spokesperson:

"A unique thing we are doing here at Zune is putting resources into thedevelopment of artists rather than simply selling their music in ourstore, employing a 'technology company as record label'
mindset/philosophy. We’re approaching our product (device) and digitalmusic service like a label would approach the development of a newartist. We’re building relationships with artists early on and thenworking with them to create joint value in terms of co-marketing,
promotions, advertising, $$ for tour support, street marketing aroundtour dates, additional PR push, integration with other Microsoftplatforms such as Xbox, Xbox Live, MSN, etc. We’re providing additionaljuice and 'ammunition' to labels and management companies in order tohelp break artists, and giving extra assistance during the whirlwind ofactivity surrounding an album release."

This sounds interesting... I hope to find outmore about Zune's plans for developing artists tomorrow night.