Music Week reports that the next EMI cover mount to appear on the Mail On Sunday will come from Virgin signed Lenny Kravitz. The freebie CD will feature six tracks from the singer's forthcoming new album 'It Is Time For A Love Revolution' plus six greatest hits, and will appear with the tabloid next Sunday.
As previously reported, EMI have signed up to do four cover mount promotions via agency Upfront, the Kravitz promo being the second - earlier this month the MoS also cover mounted the EMI owned live rerecording of Jean Michel Jarre's 'Oxygene'.
For years EMI was one of the most vehement critics of covermount CDs, even when tied to the promotion of new releases, but has more recently warmed to the newspaper deals, which deliver both licensing fees and free publicity. The change of heart may well be driven by new EMI chief Guy Hands' bid to find new revenue streams, though the major collaborated with the MoS on one Upfront brokered CD promotion - a giveaway of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells - prior to Terra Firma buying the major.
Confirming the Kravitz promo, Virgin Records GM Mark Terry is quoted by Music Week thus: "We are always exploring new ways to create value for our artists and their consumers. This gives fans a fantastic opportunity to sample six of the 14 tracks from Lenny's new album ahead of its release on February 4, and introduce new fans to some of his previous hits".
MoS MD Stephen Miron added: "We're delighted to be offering our readers yet another first. Securing an artist of Lenny Kravitz's calibre is testament to The Mail On Sunday's commitment of offering the finest music exclusively to the public".
While the majors and even some in artist management may be warming to newspaper giveaway CD deals, the music retail community remain critical, though, as previously reported, Upfront has said it is in talks with the Entertainment Retailers Association to see if there is anyway the newspapers can placate the high street retailers.