Windows Media Technology 4.0 Debuts On LAUNCH

04/13/1999 11:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Craig Rosen

(4/13/99, 8 p.m. PDT) - Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Media Technology 4.0 will make its debut Wednesday (April 14) at 6 a.m. PDT on LAUNCH.com with more than 45 tracks from more than 45 different artists.

The New York Times recently reported that Windows Media Technology 4.0, which has been referred to MS Audio 4.0 in numerous reports, "is faster and more powerful than MP3 and has built-in safeguards to deter unauthorized copying." The technology, which uses the .asf format, was officially unveiled last night at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles.

The artist lineup of LAUNCH.com downloads in Windows Media Technology 4.0 ranges from Academy Award-nominated alt-folk singer Elliott Smith, industrialists Gravity Kills, and classic rockers Boston to former Beastie Boys associate DJ Hurricane, legendary modern rock act XTC, and acclaimed songstress Lori Carson.

Other artists featured include the critically acclaimed Los Angeles-based Eels, longtime indie-rock faves Sunny Day Real Estate and Guided By Voices, veteran singer-songwriter Peter Himmelman, and hip-hop mainstay M.C. Lyte.

Several of the tracks featured are not currently available on CD. "Someone" and "Turn It Off" mark the first new material by Boston since 1994's Walk On album. The band's 1976 debut album recently received a Diamond award from the Recording Industry Assn. Of America for sales of 10 million copies (LAUNCH, 3/17).

"We got involved because this development provides superior audio quality for downloading music on the Internet, and because of the wide age range of our listeners," says Boston mastermind Tom Scholz. "The Internet is the best way we can get the word out regarding the upcoming new Boston album."

M.C. Lyte's track is from her work-in-progress The Black Album (LAUNCH, 3/11). Himmelman's "Put Her Behind Me" is an exclusive track not featured on his new album, Love Thinketh No Evil. XTC's "Eastern Theater (Demo)" is also a non-album cut.

"Come Get It" by DJ Hurricane, as well as Big Punisher's "Who Is A Thug," are from the forthcoming TVT soundtrack White Boys, while the Brian Jonestown Massacre's cover of "I Fought The Law" and the Liquor Giants' rendition of "Hippy Hippy Shake" are culled from the forthcoming Del-Fi compilation, Delfonics Sounds Today!. Songs by Floraline, Speech, Guided By Voices, the Hang Ups, Lori Carson, Spain, and Hate Department are also from forthcoming albums.

Features on Elliott Smith, Gravity Kills, XTC, the Eels, Guided By Voices, M.C. Lyte, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, and the Hang Ups are available now on LAUNCH.com. A transcript of an exclusive LAUNCH chat with M.C. Lyte is also available.

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