Vitaminic launch gets UK MP3 artists in a spin

Although similar to a number of other MP3 download sites, including MP3.com and Peoplesound, Vitaminic also offers UK artists the chance to post their own tracks for download from the outset.

Gianluca Dettori, CEO of Vitaminic, said that there was plenty of room on the Web for sites such as Vitaminic and Peoplesound to exist side by side. "Up and coming bands will want to be featured on several sites," said Dettori. "We act as a facilitator and certainly have no plans to try and lock in any bands to our site."

As with most MP3 sites the new service is free, as is the ability to create personal homepages for publishing lyrics, promoting gigs and advertising merchandise. Vitaminic claims it will earn its crust by pocketing fifty per cent of all sales across the site. The e-commerce service will go live in the next few weeks.

Steve Kutner, one of the three founders of Vitaminic and for the last ten years manager of artists from labels such as RCA and Universal, is just the latest exec to make the jump from what many regard as a floundering traditional record industry.

Vitaminic is backed by KIWI I, a European venture capital company.

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