Amazon Hooks Pearl Jam Single

Tamara Conniff
The Hollywood Reporter

Veteran rock act Pearl Jam, now free from its Sony Music contract, has aligned with Amazon.com to sell the CD single "Man of the Hour" from the "Big Fish" soundtrack. As previously reported, the single has been exclusively available through the band's offical Web site since Nov. 26.

The move makes Pearl Jam the most mainstream act to take part in Amazon.com's Advantage for Music Program, which is generally used by unknown independent acts to sell music directly to fans.

"Pearl Jam is exploring a number of different ways to get music directly to its fans following the recent fulfillment of its contract with Epic Records, with whom the band has not yet decided to re-sign," Pearl Jam's manager Kelly Curtis says. "We have the opportunity right now to test the waters with a variety of progressive companies that are working to expand options for music fans and artists alike."

Jeff Peterson, director of Amazon.com's Advantage program, says all the albums released through the program get equal marketing time on the Amazon.com Web site as do major label releases. As it has been on the Pearl Jam site, the list price for "Man of the Hour," written by frontman Eddie Vedder for "Big Fish," is $5.

The song will appear on the film's Sony soundtrack, due Tuesday (Dec. 23). The album also features songs by Bing Crosby, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, the Allman Bros. Band, Canned Heat, among others.

Pearl Jam has tentative plans to record a new studio album next year and is weighing distribution options.

Interesting move for them. Kinda funny to see them described as 'veterans' though.

Originally posted by Rickenbacker
Interesting move for them. Kinda funny to see them described as 'veterans' though.

Yeah, it's weird to me, too, because I still remember vividly when "Ten" came out.

Still, though, thirteen years is an eternity as far as the lifespan of a rock band goes.

Originally posted by AKA
Yeah, it's weird to me, too, because I still remember vividly when "Ten" came out.

Still, though, thirteen years is an eternity as far as the lifespan of a rock band goes.


Same here. Wow- "Ten" was released in 1990?? Yeah, that's a pretty long time ago. Geez, time flies...
When I think 'veteran rock act', my mind goes straight to guys like The Stones or David Bowie. I'd say even REM & U2 are more or less vets as well. But it's hard for me to swallow that w/ Pearl Jam just yet.

"Ten" was actually released in 1991, but the band formed in 1990, out of the ashes of Mother Love Bone (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDSUB040312021909263233&sql=B37d4vwmva92k).