Will iTunes Help XM Revive Radio?

If video killed the radio star, then digital music stores nailed the coffin shut and paid for the floral arrangements.

But it now seems that XM Radio, a major newsmaker in 2007 on speculation of a merger with Sirius, has found a way to walk hand in hand with the competition: Check out what sells, then offer an extension of the product.

On July 15, XM will initiate "30 Days of Coldplay," a channel dedicated solely to the work of the industrious British band. While XM has featured artist-exclusive channels in the past, Coldplay will be the first current band timed for the release of new music. Past acts included classics Led Zeppelin and Michael Jackson.

But "30 Days of Coldplay" isn't exactly a shot in the dark. In the week preceding the release of Viva la Vida, the band's fourth studio album, Coldplay smashed pre-sale records on iTunes, and the title track soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 based on digital sales alone.

While iTunes may hold the reins when it comes to selling previously unreleased tracks, there are some arenas where radio may yet win. "30 Days" will feature interviews, hard-to-find imported material, and a live performance from Coldplay's Viva la Vida North American tour, at no additional cost to subscribers.

ITunes is undoubtedly a premiere way to gauge what fans want. "The feedback from listeners was very positive," says XM spokeswoman Anne-Taylor Adams of Coldplay's recent work. "These are the artists the fans are eager to hear."

Perhaps the company is keeping an eye on iTunes and the culture of digital music--then using it to return to the past.

by Marisa Rindone

Photograph of Chris Martin of Coldplay at the 2008 MTV Movie Awards by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters/Landov