Verizon’s AC/DC “Exclusive” Not As Exclusive As Previously Thought

Everyone’s forgotten about MSN Music–or so it would seem, given the reaction to yesterday’s news that AC/DC’s digital catalog was picked up by Verizon Wireless. As Digital Music News found out, the Australian hard rockers have actually their its catalog go online once already; in 2004, the debut of MSN Music had the online debut of AC/DC’s music as one of its hooks, as we found out from the still-online press release:

For the first time ever online, U.S. fans of rockers AC/DC will get a taste of the exclusive offerings consumers will find on MSN Music with today’s online debut of the group’s catalog. No other commercial download service offers “Back in Black, “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” or any other albums from the Australian band’s classics.

“We’re excited to be working with MSN Music to bring AC/DC’s powerful body of work to the online arena,” said Steve Barnett, executive vice president and general manager of Epic Records. “The fact that MSN is offering releases such as ‘Back in Black’ and ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ in their entirety ensures that fans across the United States will be able to experience these classic albums exactly as the band intended. We look forward to working closely with MSN on this exclusive debut, as well as on the overall launch of the service.”

The amazing thing about that quote? It’s pretty much exactly what the reps at Columbia and Verizon said yesterday, although with different coroprate names (and the Columbia guy called AC/DC by the much-catchier name “the world’s most electrifying rock and roll band.”) So be sure to hold on to those press releases–in three years, they may need to get recycled yet again.

MSN Music Service Creates Largest Global Resource For Legal Music Downloads [Microsoft Press Pass] More Details Bubble On AC/DC, Verizon Deal [Digital Music News]