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Tuesday, June 5, 2007

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Play it again Starbucks

The storefront of Starbucks' Hear Music ...

And again and again. Paul McCartney's latest album debuts today, and Starbucks will be playing the first release from its new Hear Music label at all 10,000-plus coffeehouses all day long. Jeremy Hobson has the story.

The storefront of Starbucks' Hear Music Coffeehouse CD burning service in Santa Monica, Calif. (David McNew/Getty Images)

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TEXT OF STORY

MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: If you're heading into a Starbucks today you'll be part of a worldwide marketing extravaganza and no, it's not for the coffee. It's for Paul McCartney's new album "Memory Almost Full." That's the first CD on the Starbucks music label and the company's promotion is grande. Jeremy Hobson has the story.

[ Music: Paul McCartney's "Dance Tonight" ]

JEREMY HOBSON: That song, "Dance Tonight," and the rest of McCartney's new album will be on repeat today.

All day — at more than 10,000 Starbucks locations around the world.

Media Consultant Aram Sinnreich says Starbucks isn't afraid to get into the declining CD market because it can promote its CDs in house.

ARAM SINNREICH: Companies like Starbucks have the capacity to innovate in marketing, distribution and promotion in a way that the traditional major labels don't.

He says that's because Starbucks is everywhere. It's like a radio station with millions of listeners.

Michelle Farber is one of them. She spends hours in a Washington D.C. Starbucks, but may forego Starbucks coffee today.

MICHELLE FARBER: Even songs that I love I don't want to hear over and over and over again, but it's better than the jazz that they've been playing.
[ Music: Paul McCartney's "Dance Tonight" ]

In Washington, I'm Jeremy Hobson for Marketplace.

TEXT OF STORY

MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: If you're heading into a Starbucks today you'll be part of a worldwide marketing extravaganza and no, it's not for the coffee. It's for Paul McCartney's new album "Memory Almost Full." That's the first CD on the Starbucks music label and the company's promotion is grande. Jeremy Hobson has the story.
[ Music: Paul McCartney's "Dance Tonight" ]
JEREMY HOBSON: That song, "Dance Tonight," and the rest of McCartney's new album will be on repeat today.

All day — at more than 10,000 Starbucks locations around the world.

Media Consultant Aram Sinnreich says Starbucks isn't afraid to get into the declining CD market because it can promote its CDs in house.
ARAM SINNREICH: Companies like Starbucks have the capacity to innovate in marketing, distribution and promotion in a way that the traditional major labels don't.
He says that's because Starbucks is everywhere. It's like a radio station with millions of listeners.

Michelle Farber is one of them. She spends hours in a Washington D.C. Starbucks, but may forego Starbucks coffee today.
MICHELLE FARBER: Even songs that I love I don't want to hear over and over and over again, but it's better than the jazz that they've been playing.
[ Music: Paul McCartney's "Dance Tonight" ]
In Washington, I'm Jeremy Hobson for Marketplace.

Music From This Show

  • Somewhere Only We Know Keane
  • Dance Tonight Paul McCartney
  • Pick Up the Pieces Average White Band

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