Last.fm, Sony ink global content agreement

Last.fm and Sony BMG have signed a new global content agreement that will bring classic and new tracks from Sony's library to the social music network's 20 million users.

"This partnership affords Last.fm users a whole new set of terrific content for building community," said Last.fm co-founder Martin Stiksel. "We've always aimed to have everything ever recorded available to listen to on our site, and having access to Sony's collection of some of the world's most popular music takes us another huge step closer."

Sony's music will start appearing in Last.fm's recommendation system as a result of the agreement.

"The Last.fm streaming service will give our established artists a platform through which they can reach new audiences, and their unique recommendation system will provide our emerging artists with an important opportunity to build their fan base," said Thomas Hesse, president of global digital business and US sales at Sony BMG Music Entertainment.