The Orchard Reaches Landmark Of One Million Licensed Tracks

Multi-Platinum Act Barenaked Ladies Provides Millionth Track; Catalogue Milestone Illustrates Power of ‘Long Tail’ Model

NEW YORK – July 25, 2006, – The Orchard, the world’s leading digital distributor and marketer of independent music, today announced that multi-platinum act Barenaked Ladies’ “Sound of Your Voice” has become the company’s one millionth licensed track. This milestone solidifies The Orchard’s position as the top independent distribution company in the industry, with a catalogue unmatched in its depth, stylistic diversity, and geographic reach.

“Reaching this benchmark is the epitome of the ‘long tail’ phenomenon, that is, leveraging the largest catalogue of music in the world across a global distribution network through creative and targeted sales and marketing approaches,” said Greg Scholl, chief executive officer of The Orchard. “Our relationship with Barenaked Ladies and their management company, Nettwerk Music Group, also illustrates another important aspect of The Orchard’s business: we provide focused attention and top-quality marketing and distribution services to all our labels, servicing both up-and-coming indie bands and multi-platinum sellers. Our scale and the diversity of our offering, and the size and strength of our marketing and product management teams, set us apart.”

“As digital sales become an increasingly important part of the mix, we believe strongly in providing our artists with the outlets to succeed in the online marketplace,” said Nettwerk founder and chief executive Terry McBride. “Greg and his team at The Orchard share this commitment and understand the challenges and opportunities of the digital world. We’re proud to have played a role in pushing The Orchard’s catalogue past the one million track mark, and we hope that a Nettwerk artist has the privilege of repeating the feat when The Orchard gets to two million in the not-too-distant future.”

“Sound of Your Voice” appears on the Barenaked Ladies’ new Desperation Records EP, “Easy EP,” which The Orchard is distributing through its long-term distribution and marketing agreement with Nettwerk. In addition, “Sound of Your Voice” will appear on the Canadian group’s forthcoming album, “Barenaked Ladies Are Me,” which The Orchard will also distribute to leading digital music stores and mobile operators worldwide. The “Easy EP” is available today, while “Barenaked Ladies Are Me” will hit stores on Sept. 12, 2006.

About The Orchard
The Orchard is the world’s leading digital distributor and marketer of independent music, with a catalogue of more than one million tracks representing 73 countries, thousands of labels, and every music genre. This catalogue includes titles from multi-platinum acts such as Green Day, Coldplay, Ray Charles, and Barenaked Ladies, as well as from breaking bands like The Hold Steady, Bedouin Soundclash, and Immortal Technique. The Orchard supplies all the leading legal digital music stores and mobile operators throughout the world and markets its labels’ catalogues for sync song placements in films, commercials, and television shows. The company is owned by Dimensional Associates, the private equity arm of JDS Capital Management, Inc. whose portfolio companies also include eMusic and Dimensional Music Publishing. The Orchard is headquartered in New York and London, with offices in 23 countries and six continents. For more information, please visit: www.theorchard.com

About Nettwerk Music Group
Nettwerk Music Group is Canada's leading privately owned record label and artist management company responsible for managing some of Canada’s biggest artists like Sarah McLachlan, Avril Lavigne, Barenaked Ladies and many others. Nettwerk has several offices located around the world including offices in New York, Los Angeles and London; with our main office right next to Granville Island in Vancouver, B.C.