1-800-MUSIC-NOW: The ultimate sound buy; MCI rocks the nation; rolls out easier way to purchase music -- You call. You listen. You like. You buy.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 8, 1995--A hot new number will soon top the charts of every music category in America: 1-800 MUSIC NOW.

Starting today, MCI is bringing the fun of sampling and buying the latest music right to the comfort of your home ... or office, or even a nearby phone booth -- 24 hours a day through any touch tone phone. 1-800 MUSIC NOW lets consumers use their telephone to sample and buy music from more than 5,000 titles, available in both CD and cassette. The music arrives within days -- even overnight.

Don't know a tune's title or artist -- or which album contains a favorite song? MCI's intelligent network utilizes proprietary automated and interactive VRU (Voice Response Unit) technology. 1-800 MUSIC NOW allows callers to listen to top hits and long time favorites in music genres, including rock, alternative, country R&B, pop, soundtracks, jazz, gospel, New Age, Latin reggae, world music, children's music and holiday favorites.

"1-800 MUSIC NOW turns every phone in America into a music store and a private listening station," said Angela Dunlap, president, Marketing, MCI. "Now you can hear before you buy. It's the easiest way to buy music, whether your preference is Sinatra or Smashing Pumpkins."

Recognizing the power of radio to create hits and sell music, MCI has a assembled a network of more than 100 major market radio stations to aggressively promote 1-800 MUSIC NOW. The national 800 service is customized to 30 key markets, allowing recorded voices of local disc jockeys (DJ) to welcome and guide callers to special buys, local events and the latest releases on-air in their market.

MCI'S INTELLIGENT NETWORK DELIVERS THE GOODS -- SIMPLICITY IS KEY

Taking the guesswork out of buying music, 1-800 MUSIC NOW easily prompts callers through a variety of options, allowing them to move effortlessly through the system. Buying music with 1-800 MUSIC NOW is as easy as 1,2,3.

(1) Callers select a music format -- 14 to choose from;

(2) Callers are greeted by a familiar DJ from their local

station, offering the choice of hearing local radio hits

or the national top 20 albums, or shopping for any of

5,000 titles in the music world;

(3) When callers hear a title they want to buy, they simply

press "6" to purchase the album.

When all purchases are made, callers exit the sampling area and are connected to a music representative who will set up a personal account to order via credit card. Once a consumer has an account, all future purchases can be made without speaking to a representative.

PREFER YOUR OWN MUSIC CLICK? 1-800 MUSIC NOW Online(TM)

You click. You listen. You like. You buy. Internet surfers can also fill their musical shopping carts with 1-800 MUSIC NOW Online. Located on the World Wide Web at http://www.1800musicnow.mci.com. 1-800 MUSIC NOW Online offers: the simplest way to buy with only four clicks from the home page to check-out. It also features the largest online sound library with more than 20,000 song clips and the Web's most comprehensive online art collection with 5,000 album covers and hundreds of promotional photos of artists, groups and radio DJs. The site also integrates information on local radio personalities and station calendars.

ADVERTISING CREATES THE BRAND -- ESTABLISHES THE CATEGORY

Advertising for 1-800 MUSIC NOW will be heavy on attitude while highlighting product benefits and creating brand awareness. 1-800 MUSIC NOW will be supported by a national print, radio and television advertising campaign breaking today. All advertising executions were created by MCI's advertising agency, Messner, Vetere, Berger, McNamee, Schmetterer Euro RSCG. Local marketing efforts include personalized on-air promotions with radio stations participating in the 1-800 MUSIC NOW excitement.

Fulfillment will be handled by MCA Music Entertainment Group's distribution arm, Uni Distribution. MCA executives say they expect the program to expand the universe of record buyers and reach many consumers who no longer actively go to record stores for music.

MCI, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's largest and fastest-growing diversified communications companies. With annual revenue of more than $13 billion, MCI offers consumers and businesses a broad portfolio of services, including long distance, wireless, local access, paging, outsourcing, Internet software and access, information services, business software, and advanced global telecommunications services.

CONTACT: MCI News Burea

Mark Pettit, 1-800-644-NEWS

[e-mail]

or

Ketchum Public Relations 

Robyn Freedman, 404/877-1800