Apple juices up iTunes with indie flava

Apple has finally signed licensing deals with leading independent record labels for its European iTunes operation.

Deals have been inked with Beggars Group, Sanctuary Records and V2, boasting such acts as the White Stripes and Basement Jaxx.

Apple introduced the iTunes music purchase and download service in the UK, Germany and France last month, selling 800,000 tracks in its first week, but many fans were disappointed by the lack of artists from independent labels.

The labels failed to agree terms before the launch, unhappy that Apple was trying to lock them into three-year fixed price deals with no option to review prices regardless of whether iTunes increased the retail cost.

The Association of Independent Music hopes that the revised proposals will provide the template for a standard contract for other independent artists, ensuring that they receive the same benefits as those received by major recording labels.

Apple indicated that the first three independent signings would add tens of thousand of songs to the 700,000 track library already on offer, and would pave the way for more agreements with independent labels in the near future.

The iTunes offering in the US has sold over 100 million tracks since its launch 15 months ago.