Culture

Will Music Video Site, PluggedIn, Be the Next MTV?

by Jarrett Martineau | April 17, 2008 at 08:01 am

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Just as indie music sites like Pitchfork and Stereogum, launch their own branded music video sites, a major-label newcomer offering HD quality music videos, PluggedIn, is being hailed as a potential next-gen web successor to MTV.

The company has powerful investors, amazingly high quality content, and a huge roster of major stars.

In an online music video site battle between Pitchfork, Videogum, and PluggedIn, who would you bet to win?

A company backed by investors including Will Smith and major record labels has launched a new Web site offering 10,000 free, high-definition music videos.

Universal Music Group announced Wednesday that it has joined EMI and Sony BMG in backing Santa Monica-based PluggedIn.

The site features major artists, including Radiohead, Joss Stone, Green Day, 30 Seconds to Mars, Coldplay, Gorillaz, Chemical Brothers, Norah Jones, Daft Punk, KT Tunstall, and Keith Urban.

Overbrook, a partnership between actor and musician Smith and entertainment industry veterans James Lassiter and Ken Stovitz, said it has invested money and other resources in PluggedIn.Guy Primus, head of interactive media at Overbrook, said the site has reshaped the way people will appreciate music online by combining high-definition video with personalization, social networking, and e-commerce tools.

The site also allows users to buy digital downloads, CDs, merchandise, and tickets.