«Starbucks has masterfully created a winning consumer experience, and that thinking has guided its entry into music. The company has already featured CDs from a number of developing and superstar artists, including Antigone Rising, Bob Dylan, Herbie Hancock, and The Rolling Stones. But according to Starbucks Entertainment president Ken Lombard, the end game has nothing to do with selling music. "We are not going to be a music company, and we are not going to change who we are," Lombard said during a MusEXPO keynote address on Monday in Los Angeles. "We are continuing to figure out how to create a world-class experience for our customers," Lombard noted.

Regardless of where the value play is, the company is clearly pushing an involved music agenda. Part of the opportunity, according to Lombard, lies in an alienated consumer that still craves great music. "We are connecting with customers that no longer have a music experience," Lombard said, who pointed to a "disenfranchised consumer". That means stepping outside of mainstream hits, and allowing for greater music discovery. "Ours is a focus that goes beyond the top 40, and we are digging deep to try to find good music," he said.