Starbucks launches in-store music CD burning

SEATTLE -- With the rapid growth of wireless services, big steps forward have been made toward mobility for travelers, tourists and other consumers. Now, a new application of technology might help music lovers compile special collections while on the road.

Starbucks Coffee, through its Hear Music brand, is launching a music delivery experience that the company hopes will make it easier for customers to discover, acquire and enjoy music. The new Starbucks retail digital music service, enabled by HP technologies, becomes real today with the grand opening of the Hear Music Coffeehouse in Santa Monica, Calif. 

Shortly thereafter, Starbucks said it intends to begin deploying the Hear Music CD burning service to select Starbucks stores, offering customers the ability to burn full-length albums and personalized compilations from a large digital library.

"Starbucks built its brand through innovation in products and services that preserve and enhance the trust our customers have in the Starbucks Experience," said Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman. "Innovations like our exclusive music compilations, the Starbucks Card and placing Wi-Fi access in Starbucks stores have transformed the way that millions of our customers enjoy their coffeehouse experience. As a result, Starbucks is well-positioned to deliver this unparalleled music service."

70 HP Tablet PCs

The Hear Music Coffeehouse, a first-of-its-kind record store, welcomes customers to a comfortable coffeehouse environment that gives them a hands-on guide to music discovery using 70 HP Tablet PCs and other breakthrough innovations from HP to access, personalize and enjoy digital music in new ways. 

Starbucks anticipates that customers will drink their favorite beverage while sitting at the Hear Music listening bar, which is staffed with music experts who can personally suggest new artists and guide customers to new genres, while burning a personalized CD. In addition, customers can explore themed recommendations throughout the store at listening stations featuring music, video and other exclusive content.

"Our alliance with Starbucks is all about finding creative ways to deliver great experiences to consumers and drive new business models in the process," said Carly Fiorina, HP chairman and chief executive officer. "Our latest collaboration maximizes the intersection of two things most of us can't live without -- coffee and music. HP technology is at the heart of every part of the digital delivery of music from the creation to the consumption of your favorite songs."

Yo-Yo Ma and Johnny Cash

One of the most engaging editorial formats for customers to explore is Hear Music's series of Artist's Choice CD interviews. Dating back to 1990, artists ranging from Sheryl Crow and Yo-Yo Ma to Johnny Cash and the Rolling Stones, have provided an inside look into their personal record collections. These artists' insights are a cornerstone of the in-store customer experience.

"Hear Music is committed to bringing music into people's lives by helping them discover great music from emerging artists, as well as those artists outside of the mainstream," said Don MacKinnon, vice president, Starbucks Music and Entertainment. "With today's launch of the Hear Music Coffeehouse and our plan to bring this service to Starbucks, we believe we can make it easier for consumers to find music they love, as well as create a platform for artists to be discovered."

Beginning this spring, Starbucks plans to extend the CD burning service to 10 select Starbucks stores in Seattle with breakthrough HP technologies. Customers at these stores will find enhanced listening stations with exclusive Hear Music editorial, and more than 20,000 full-length albums and hundreds of thousands of songs available to burn on CDs.

Founded in 1990, and acquired by Starbucks Coffee Company in 1999, Hear Music is dedicated to helping people discover great music. Not a traditional record label or distributor, Hear Music, with a catalog of about 100 CD compilations, handpicks songs from new and classic records to create CDs that help people discover music they might not hear otherwise. Hear Music creates music programming and CDs for Starbucks coffeehouses worldwide and operates four innovative retail stores in California and Seattle. Hear Music CDs are featured at Hear Music and Starbucks retail locations, as well as at www.hearmusic.com.

Starbucks Corporation is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 7,500 retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. In addition to its retail operations, the company produces and sells bottled Frappuccino coffee drinks, Starbucks DoubleShot coffee drink, and a line of super premium ice creams through its joint venture partnerships.

The company's brand portfolio provides a wide variety of consumer products. Tazo Tea's line of premium teas and Hear Music's exceptional compact discs enhance the Starbucks Experience through best-of-class products. The Seattle's Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia Coffee brands enable Starbucks to appeal to a broader consumer base by offering an alternative variety of coffee flavor profiles.

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. For the last four fiscal quarters, HP revenue totaled $74.7 billion.