MUMBAI: Universal Music Group (UMG) has chosen Destiny Media’s Play MPE media distribution system to securely distribute pre-release tracks throughout Europe, Asia, South America and Africa.

This new international agreement builds on UMG’s successful transition to secure digital distribution of pre-release content to press and radio partners in North America, and will provide Play MPE services to all 77 countries where Universal Music’s wholly owned companies and licensees operate.

Universal Music Group International vice president production Mark Moroney said, "By adopting Destiny’s Play MPE services, we can ensure that our pre-release content can be distributed quickly to all of our external press and radio contacts as well as our territories in a secure and controlled environment."

Recipients receive high quality original audio files in a quick digital download, which locks to authorized computers. If the user is given adequate rights, they are able to export the file into an unlocked format. A proprietary inaudible watermark is embedded into the music so that if an unauthorized copy is found, the source of the file can be traced. In use by over 1,000 labels around the world, the Play MPE network currently has over 28,000 registered recipients. Since launch, the system has delivered over 133,000 tracks representing over 127 million transactions.

"We are very pleased that Universal Music Group is expanding their North American usage into the rest of the world and look forward to working with their team to continue the transition from physical to digital in the international distribution of pre-release content and to standardize it to everyone’s benefit," said Destiny Media CEO Steve Vestergaard.