Verizon Wireless Nails AC/DC Exclusive

In a surprising move, Verizon Wireless secured the exclusive rights to distribute AC/DC music digitally, locking out Apple from selling their music in the iTunes Store.

“Verizon Wireless has snagged the exclusive rights to sell the band’s entire back catalog through March 2008, becoming the first and only digital music store to offer the Australian combo’s content,” according to the Billboard article.

The story also points out that the deal is limited to full-album downloads. Since full album downloads are too large and too expensive to sell from mobile phones, Verizon is only selling them from the PC version of its V Cast Music service, at a price of $12 each.

Other parts of the deal include the rights to sell ring tones and to broadcast video performances of AC/DC’s concerts.

AC / DC Goes Digital via Verizon Wireless [Reuters/Billboard via NYT]

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