One reason U2′s mobile album didn’t fare well is that it wasn’t really an album. Fans got short clips from the band’s latest album, but not full songs. The mobile album did feature a number of extras, including interviews and graphics, but without the music it was an incomplete product. That doesn’t mean that the mobile music experiment is dead — not by a long shot. RIM has teamed up with Verizon and Pearl Jam to offer fans something they really want: free live tracks. Pearl Jam has always encouraged bootlegging shows, and they released a series of live albums a few years ago. This takes bootlegging to a new, and legal, extreme.
The offer is only available to those with a Verizon BlackBerry Tour, so it is disappointingly limiting. But those fortunate enough to have the device can download three tracks from each of the band’s remaining tour dates. There are 11 in total, running from October 27 through November 29. So it appears that fans can download up to 33 Pearl Jam songs right to their BlackBerry devices.
To get the application which allows the downloads, text messages “PJ” without quotes to short code 5509. You’ll then receive a link for the download. It will be a short wait until the first eligible show, but it should be worth it for Pearl Jam fans.
Speaking of which, I happen to be a Pearl Jam fan. If anyone who has a Tour doesn’t like the band, can you hook a brother up?
