Joint Release

Epic Records Group, VIBE Online and Apple Announce Premiere Of Sade's New Album Online

NEW YORK and CUPERTINO, Calif.—November 9, 2000—Epic Records Group, VIBE Online and Apple® today announced that international recording artist Sade’s forthcoming new studio album “Lovers Rock” will premiere on the Internet exclusively in Apple’s QuickTime™ streaming media format four days before the album arrives in stores on November 14. The online Sade Listening Party will take place Friday, November 10 at noon, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. (EST) and will be accessible via www.sadeusa.com , www.vibe.com and www.apple.com/quicktime. The album is Sade’s first new studio album in nearly eight years and includes her current single, “By Your Side.”

“Sade is very excited about the online premiere of ‘Lovers Rock’ as it affords a great opportunity to reach out to her new and existing fans via this exciting medium. Apple’s QuickTime streaming technology, coupled with the reach and presence of VIBE, will make this an event to remember,” said Polly Anthony, President, Epic Records Group.

“Apple’s QuickTime is simply the world’s best format for streaming high quality audio and video over the Internet,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “We’re ecstatic QuickTime was chosen as the format to premiere Sade’s new album before it hits the stores.”

In addition to the Listening Party, Sade will reach out to fans worldwide in her first-ever online chat at 4 p.m. (EST) on November 14, the day “Lovers Rock” arrives in stores in the U.S.

“Lovers Rock” is an eleven-track album written, arranged and co-produced by Sade with Mike Pela, with whom Sade has worked on her previous albums. Five of Sade’s prior albums placed in the Top Five on Billboard’s Pop and R&B charts, and her albums have sold more than 25 million copies in the U.S. and more than 50 million worldwide.

“VIBE Online is honored to be a part of an event with such a phenomenal artist as Sade,” said Ron Richardson, director of New Media for Vibe-Spin Ventures. “The global and timeless appeal of her music makes ‘Lovers Rock’ a natural for a worldwide debut on the Internet.”

To access the premiere of “Lovers Rock” in its entirety at the online Sade Listening Party, Internet users simply need to download the QuickTime player, which is available to Macintosh® and Windows users for free at www.apple.com/quicktime.

Press Contacts:
For further information regarding QuickTime, contact:
Nicole Scott
Edelman Worldwide
(650) 968-4033 ext. 2764
nicole.scott@edelman.com

For further information regarding Sade, contact:
Michele Schweitzer
Epic Records Group
(212) 833-6692
michele_schweitzer@sonymusic.com

For further information regarding Epic New Media, contact
Denise McDonald
Epic Records Group
(310) 449-2182
denise_mcdonald@sonymusic.com

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple's PR website (www.apple.com/pr/), or call Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.

Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh and QuickTime are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.