EMUSIC, MUSICMATCH GIVING AWAY THE STORE

Online downloading destination Emusic.com and digital-jukebox producer MusicMatch have teamed to offer entire albums by Bush, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Violent Femmes, They Might Be Giants, Loop Guru and others in MP3 for free to users who download the new MusicMatch 5.0 jukebox (also free).

Albums available for free download include Bush’s multi-platinum "Sixteen Stone," "The Very Best of Elvis Costello & The Attractions," Waits’ Grammy-snagging "Mule Variations" and TMBG’s live best-of collection, "Severe Tire Damage."

MusicMatch claims its player is the first to offer personalized recommendations to users, as well as an integrated Net radio tuner.

The promotion ends 3/31 or after 25,000 downloads of the player—whichever comes first.

"With the new version of MusicMatch and one of these popular titles, this is a great way for fans to start or expand their MP3 collection—for free," proclaimed Emusic VP of Marketing Steve Grady.

Fans who’ve already amassed free MP3 tracks using Napster and are playing them on the freeware Winamp player will no doubt be breathless at the news.

Investors, however, evidentlyregard the giving away of catalog as sound digital business;Emusic stock was up .50 to 7.38 at presstime.