AMPLIFIED.COM GROWS LOUDER

Amplified.com has landed deals with the Coalition for Independent Music Stores (CIMS) and Cool Entertainment. The Atlanta-based Amplified will provide back-end fulfillment of digital music tracks, rights management, custom compilations and digital media technology for Cool Entertainment's [www.coolentertainment.com] users. The CIMS [www.cimsmusic.com] link up means that Amplified will be supplying the network of 69 member stores with a means of digital delivery. (No, that number of stores is not a sly sex joke.)

CIMS' site has offered free streamed and downloadable digital music files, but has not sold them. The CIMS group is comprised of indie stores, making it cost prohibitive to offer downloadable sales on their own. Because of this CIMS has been on the front line of the often-heated discussion between labels and brick and mortar stores regarding digital music and online stores. Individual CIMS member sites now have the ability to sell digital downloads using the Amplified.com service.

Cool Entertainment is an e-tailer that sells CDs, DVDs, videos, and videogames. The site also offers games and free e-mail accounts. It does not have anything to do with the custody transfer of Elian Gonzalez to his father.

Amplified's distribution partners include just about every non-porn Web site you've visited, including CDNow, Borders, Media Play, Musicland, Tower and Trans World.