Starbucks, Concord brew two more albums

05/25/2005 7:49 AM, Reuters
Chris Morris

Starbucks Hear Music, the record arm of the coffee retailer, is launching two projects with Concord Records, its partner in the wildly successful 2004 Ray Charles album "Genius Loves Company."

On July 12, Hear Music and Concord will issue "The Living Room Tour," a two-CD collection of live acoustic performances by singer-songwriter Carole King, and "Zucchero & Co.," a set by the titular Italian vocalist featuring guest duets by Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Sting and the late John Lee Hooker and Miles Davis.

Like "Genius Loves Company," the King and Zucchero albums will be issued at both traditional music retail stores and at Starbucks-owned locations. Starbucks recently aroused the ire of music retailers by securing an exclusive sales window for the new acoustic version of Alanis Morissette's best-selling album "Jagged Little Pill."

The Charles set marked the coffee chain's first major incursion into the record business and has proved a smash hit on most fronts. Although unevenly reviewed, the legendary vocalist's final album, issued posthumously in September, has sold more than 2.9 million copies to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan. In February, it collected eight Grammys, including one for album of the year.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter