MOG Launches Free On-Demand Music Listening Service

BERKELEY, Calif., Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- MOG®, today announced a free, ad-supported version of its award-winning on-demand music service, which will go live on MOG.com as of 9:00am EDT/ 6:00am PDT on Thursday, September 15. Music lovers can access MOG's entire catalog of over 11 million songs, nearly everything you'd find in popular music download stores, for free, making it the easiest way to enjoy instant access to music with no installable client application and no credit card needed. The free version will be ad-free for the first 60 days so fans can get a taste of the service without any distractions.

Free listeners on MOG receive a virtual "gas tank" full of music visibly integrated into the service. The refillable tank, called FreePlay, is built upon sophisticated game mechanics that enable users to earn free music in perpetuity, simply by listening, sharing with friends and exploring MOG. The FreePlay tank showcases how much free music a user has along with "earn music" and "upgrade" links that provide listeners the opportunity to earn more music, or upgrade to MOG Primo, a subscription plan that includes unlimited, ad-free music, and access to MOG via mobile devices, consumer electronic and streaming entertainment devices, and soon, the car.

"Our obsessed subscribers, and reviewers alike, tell us we've built the best way to listen to and discover music, and we're so excited that we can now provide people with free access," said David Hyman, CEO and Founder of MOG.

Earning Free Music

Listeners earn more music by participating in activities that demonstrate engagement and drive virality. Creating and sharing playlists and exploring the site will earn users more free music. Users can also refer friends to listen free on MOG to fill their virtual music tank.

"Your social influence is a key component," adds Hyman. "Tastemakers and influencers can easily get a lifetime of free on-demand music. These models have worked extremely well for other online businesses, and it's exciting to apply them to the music sector for the first time."

Soon after launch, MOG will expand ways for users to earn more free music including interacting with advertisers in meaningful ways like watching a movie trailer.

In-house Ad Sales Team

MOG brings a unique advantage to the ad supported music market. The company is also the provider of the MOG Music Network (MMN), the largest music focused advertising network online consisting of over 1500 music sites, reaching over 59 million people each month, according to ComScore. MMN operates ad sales offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Detroit, developing integrated, multi-platform marketing programs for more than 100 leading consumer brands in the U.S. The MMN ad sales team will expand these programs to include sponsorship opportunities within MOG's new free music service.

Leveraging HTML5

MOG's free service takes advantage of its recently unveiled HTML5 web application, which comes out of beta today, featuring a slick new interface and advanced features such as integration with Facebook for personalized recommendations. Users who sign in with Facebook Connect will instantly see music recommendations based on both personal listening habits and the artist "likes" of a listener and their friends on Facebook. Other notable features include a blazingly fast, easy to use new interface, drag-and-drop functionality for identifying favorites and creating playlists, redesigned artist pages, improved search capability, and revolutionary radio that offers artist-derived stations without the restrictions or limitations imposed by other online radio services.  Playing music does not require a desktop client, so logging in is a seamless experience and users can enjoy MOG's vast catalog with just one click.

Pricing

MOG's free service is web only. Listeners can upgrade to one of the following subscription plans:

• MOG Basic, $4.99 per month: Access to MOG on online via MOG's web players or desktop client for Mac OS and through CE devices including Boxee, Roku, LG Internet connected TVs & Blu-ray players.
• MOG Primo, $9.99 per month: Access to MOG through mobile devices (iPhone, iPod touch and Android), online via MOG's web players or desktop client for Mac OS) via Sonos and through all Basic platforms (Boxee, Roku, LG Internet connected TVs & Blu-ray players).

About MOG Inc.

MOG Inc. is a next-generation music media company founded in June 2005 by David Hyman, former CEO for Gracenote. MOG's all-you-can-eat, on-demand listening service provides access to a vast library of over 11 million songs and over one million albums through its mobile apps on iPhone and Android phones, online, and on streaming entertainment and consumer electronic devices. MOG Inc. is also the provider of The MOG Music Network (MMN), the premier destination for music content online and largest music focused advertising network consisting of over 1500 music sites, reaching over 59 million people each month.

Headquartered in Berkeley, California, MOG Inc. investors include Menlo Ventures, Balderton Capital, Simon Equity Partners, Universal Music Group, Sony Music and serial entrepreneur, Scott Jones. Grammy-winning record producer, Rick Rubin, named by Time Magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the world," is a member of MOG's Board of Directors.

SOURCE MOG Inc.