Fast food rockers

How long before music gets super-sized?

What?: The two major burger chain rivals want to offer you more than piped music these days:

* EMI has entered into a partnership with digital agency VerveLife which will see a significant selection of its DRM-free catalogue used for global brand promotions. First up to capitalise is Burger King. The chain will offer redeemable codes with purchases whereby tracks can be downloaded free from an accompanying microsite.

* McDonalds is embarking on a 10-city live music tour. The fast food monolith will offer up performances from Ne-Yo, Kenna and Kat DeLuna in McDonalds car parks across the US. Presumably so its (allegedly) oversized clientele won’t have to drag themselves from behind the steering wheel.

So what?: Would you like free music with your congealed arteries? You bet we would. Unfortunately our fingers can’t reach over our engorged stomachs in order to enter the website code. As for free tours, we’re pleased we don’t have to get out of the car, but could someone please help us get in.

Burger King has Q1 figures of $546M and McDonalds’ total revenue rose to $6.01B. We may mock the fast food industry, but with global sales like these, now long will it be before these average campaigns make way for Starbucks-like musical ventures? People aren’t going to record shops, but they will always continue to eat.

Just how far away are we from the McLabel? Will we end up going download- sized for an extra 30p?

www.mcdlive.com