The V-Album, short for Virtual-Album, was created by ScatterTunes founder and CEO Witt Stewart of Texas. A music veteran of more than 30 years, Stewart aims to fortify catalog items with digital technology that bridges the gap between conventional releases and a product packed with bonus material.
Nowadays people download one song," said Stewart. The V-Album is different. In the case of Jimi Hendrix, you get liner notes, scanned handwritten copies of lyrics, and things like that really re-create the message of the artist."
Similar to iTunes, the V-Album is a computer-based music-listening format that exports to all MP3 devices, including iTunes and Apple products. The Hendrix discography offered on ScatterTunes includes 1967 releases Are You Experienced" and Axis: Bold as Love," Hendrix's 1968 studio album Electric Ladyland," the 1997 release of First Rays of the New Rising Sun," and the latest, Valleys of Neptune," which bowed at No. 4 on the Billboard comprehensive albums chart last week.
Each album download comes with features like hi-resolution digital photos, a digital CD booklet, links to Hendrix merchandise and, in all but one case ("Valleys of Neptune"), a short documentary video.
Valleys of Neptune" became available on March 9, as did the Hendrix's V-Album catalogue. ScatterTunes has relationships with each of the four major labels and has already released V-Albums for Katy Perry, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer and has many more in the pipeline.
For more information contact All About Jazz.