Ticketmaster integrates iTunes album sales

Ticketmaster and the iTunes Store have expanded their music + tickets offerings by integrating digital album sales directly alongside concert tickets in a single transaction on Ticketmaster.com. Ticketmaster said that more than 700 musical acts with performances currently on sale via Ticketmaster, including Kanye West, Keith Urban, Modest Mouse and Bon Jovi, are among the first to have their songs and tickets jointly available to fans who search for music and concerts online. Both Apple and Ticketmaster have also launched a special dollar-off discount, which will be applied to every digital album sold on Ticketmaster and fulfilled via the iTunes Store through December 29, 2007.

Customers purchasing tickets at Ticketmaster.com to live performances by participating artists will be given the option of adding a digital album to their purchase for one dollar off the album's price through the end of the year. Ticketmaster.com will provide a direct link that will take the user to the iTunes Store to download their album in full.

"This Ticketmaster + iTunes program instantly gives our music huge exposure to a very important consumer audience -- the people who come to our shows," said Kanye West. "Touring is the most powerful and sincere connection that we have with our fans, so being able to deliver our music for download during the ticket buying process is a slam-dunk for us, and for all recording and touring artists out there who depend on reaching their live audience."

Ticketmaster and iTunes are also offering special Ticketmaster + iTunes gift card packs now available exclusively at more than 1,500 Target stores throughout the US. The dual card packages include two $25 gift cards: one redeemable toward tickets at Ticketmaster.com and one redeemable for digital music at the iTunes Store. The cards have no expiration date and multiple gift cards may be redeemed toward a single purchase.

"The ability to connect live and recorded music, concert tickets and album sales is the future of the music business," explained David Marcus, SVP Music, Ticketmaster. "The collaboration between Ticketmaster and iTunes makes it simple for fans to download the latest music from the artists they want to see live. We've now extended the music + concert tickets program we introduced with iTunes earlier this year, and we're thrilled to now offer digital albums integrated with concert ticket sales."

In September 2005, iTunes and Ticketmaster conducted the first-ever digital music / concert ticket online presale for Depeche Mode. Together, both have gone on to conduct online album + ticket presales for more than a dozen acts including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bob Dylan, Bon Jovi and more. In February 2007, Ticketmaster and iTunes offered summer concert ticket buyers a complimentary song of their choice and a digital sampler featuring a selection of music from touring artists.