Rolling Stone Magazine And Sony Electronics Utilize Super Audio CD To Promote Top 500 Albums Of All Time

Multifaceted campaign supported by Circuit City and Clear Channel Entertainment to begin November 21

13-Oct-03

Wenner Media's Rolling Stone Magazine and Sony Electronics have joined together in unprecedented fashion to create a multifaceted Super Audio CD (SACD) promotion which has been specifically designed to reach millions of Rolling Stone readers.The promotion is supported by Circuit City and Clear Channel Entertainment's Premiere Radio Networks and will begin on November 21st to coincide with the publication of Rolling Stone's biggest issue of the year featuring the ""Top500 Albums of All Time.""A Better Music Experience Each of the issue's more than 1.3 million copies will contain a six-page gatefold that dramatically opens to reveal a multi-channel SA-CD hybrid disc sampler featuring music from some of Top 500 Albums. Like hundreds of other hybrid SACD titles, the disc includes both a high resolution stereo and a multi-channel version of each song - along with a version that can be used on virtually any home, car or portable CD player.""The expansion of SACD players and software into the mass market comes at a critical time for the music industry"", said David Kawakami the director of the Super Audio CD project for Sony Corporation of America. ""Consequently, a major promotion like this will help to heighten awareness of the format by enabling millions of Rolling Stone music enthusiasts to experience many of their favorite albums on SACD like they never have before"".As a further incentive, the gatefold is followed by a two page spread that highlights an exclusive promotion between Sony, Rolling Stone, Circuit City and Clear Channel Radio. Readers will be able to take their sampler to more than 600 Circuit City locations where they can hear it on a multi-channel SACD display. They'll also be able to enter a special SACD Sweepstakes for a chance to win over 45,000 prizes including SACD compatible DVD Dream Systems and music titles like Bob Dylan's ""Blood on the Tracks"", Pink Floyd's ""The Dark Side of the Moon"" and Norah Jones' ""Come Away With Me"".In addition, the SACD Sweepstakes will be highlighted on an RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time radio special that will be broadcast on more than 200 Premiere Radio Network stations across the country. The entire RS 500 campaign runs until the end of the year and represents a retail value of more than 20 million dollars.ìWeíre thrilled to be working with Sony on the Rolling Stone 500,î said Wenner. ìIíve been advocating in the pages of Rolling Stone for some time now that the music industry find new ways to reach the consumer with a reinvigorated product and marketing tactics and feel that Sonyís SACD format is leading the way. Our eleven million readers are music enthusiasts and strong adapters of new technologies which enhance their listening experience and Sonyís tying in with our special issue is a great way to reach the reader with this format,î Wenner concluded.Rolling Stoneís Top 500 Albums of All Time will go on sale November 21, 2003.