MP3's new groove with Maverick

Musical artists Jude, the Deftones and Prodigy will have a new online venue at MP3.com, as part of the online music service's deal with their music label, Maverick Records.

The agreement, announced Monday, will allow Maverick to use MP3.com services, including the personalized music service My.MP3.com, to help market and promote its family of recording artists. The Los Angeles-based record company, founded by Madonna, has also agreed to license its catalog of songs for use by My.MP3 in services such as Beam-it and Instant Listening.

Maverick is a subsidiary of AOL Time Warner's Warner Music Group, one of the four major recording labels that reached an out-of-court settlement with MP3.com in a licensing battle last year.

"Maverick believes that MP3.com represents an important step forward in the creative exploitation of recorded music," Ronnie Dashev, Maverick's chief operating officer, said in a statement.

MP3.com has been healing its wounds after a major legal fracas with the music industry, while looking for ways to generate revenue streams. It has struck new licensing deals and is honing its technology and services to pay for the money lost in settlements with major music companies.

Last month, MP3.com announced plans to develop music applications for cell phones based on Qualcomm's wireless software standard, BREW.

Also last month, the Internet music service launched a music-licensing unit that will help artists get their songs on television programs, commercials and films, while offering them ways to maintain control over the rights to their music.