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Usher Fans Find Truth at Best Buy; Exclusive Three-DVD Set Features Five Hours of Content and Never-before-Seen Footage from Usher's Smash Truth TourMINNEAPOLIS --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 29, 2005 -- Grammy-Award winning artist and international superstar Usher is teaming with Best Buy to offer his Truth Tour DVD set to fans exclusively at Best Buy through February 2006. Truth Tour can be pre-ordered starting today at www.BestBuy.com and will be available for purchase in-store and online November 8. The three-DVD set features five hours of content including spectacular live footage from Usher's Truth Tour performance in his home town of Atlanta, an in-depth view of the life of Usher from the early years to his evolution into a living legend and savvy businessman, and a behind-the-scenes look at the superstar's charitable work in the community. Usher's commitment to provide his fans a pre-eminent entertainment experience matches Best Buy's leadership in providing consumers with the best in entertainment. "Fans want electrifying content that allows them to relive the emotional experience they get from live events." said Gary Arnold, Best Buy's senior vice president of entertainment. "Usher is the single most electrifying entertainer of his generation and Truth Tour is another example of Best Buy's commitment to use technology to deliver fans the best seat in the house from the convenience of their homes." Truth Tour marks the third exclusive DVD release in as many holiday seasons for Best Buy. In 2003, Best Buy released Four Flicks, a four-DVD set from the Rolling Stones that was certified 19-times platinum and is the number one selling concert (long form) DVD in U.S. history. Last year's Best Buy's exclusive Dream Ticket four-DVD set from Elton John went 14-times platinum to become his best-selling DVD of his career to date. The high-energy Truth Tour will follow the record-setting trend set by its predecessors. Signature excitement and sound (5.1 DTS) come standard, but unlike Four Flicks and Dream Ticket, Usher's Truth Tour was shot with 16 high-definition cameras and directed by acclaimed music video helmer, Hamish Hamilton. The DVD also includes state-of-the-art interactive features from MX Entertainment that gives the viewer more choice and more control of their DVD concert experience by featuring five "Select-A-Cam" songs that offer Usher close-ups, intimate dancer shots, and concert visuals from chart-topping hits including "Burn," "U Remind Me" and "My Way". The DVD set also includes the world premiere of a new MX DVD technology that lets viewers direct their own version of "Caught Up" using their remote control. The Best Buy exclusive continues the long-term working relationship the retailer has maintained with the superstar since it sponsored Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope Tour in 1998, for which Usher was the opening act. "I'm excited about partnering with Best Buy to release my Truth Tour DVD," says Usher. "Their commitment to providing the best in home entertainment is exactly what I was looking for when I decided to make this DVD. I put a lot of hard work into the Truth Tour -- from the intense choreography, to the stage production, wardrobe, and just having fun on the road and being able to touch the lives of many individuals -- the DVD set will give my fans an up close and personal experience into my life. " Truth Tour also comes on the heels of Usher's 2004 LP Confessions, which has scanned fifteen million copies worldwide to date. The three-DVD set's attractive price point of $24.99 is sure to satisfy Usher's ever-expanding fan base. Usher's career has spanned more than a decade and he is on his way to becoming the top-selling R&B artists of all time. His raw blend of rock, pop, sex appeal, flash and classic soul/blues makes him a fascinating musical entity. As a singer, dancer, and actor, he is a triple threat as an artist. And as producer, business man and philanthropist, he is a triple threat as a brand. Usher lives his life in high definition. Now his fans can live it with him. About Best Buy Co., Inc. Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) is an innovative Fortune 100 growth company that continually strives to create superior customer experiences. Through more than 840 retail stores across the United States and in Canada, our employees connect customers with technology and entertainment products and services that make life easier and more fun. We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services. A Minneapolis-based company, our operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com and BestBuy.ca), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad (GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca) and Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com). We support our communities through employee volunteerism and grants from The Best Buy Children's Foundation. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management's current views and estimates regarding future market conditions, company performance and financial results, business prospects, new strategies, the competitive environment and other events. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," and other words and terms of similar meaning. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Among the factors that could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements are the following: general economic conditions, acquisitions and development of new businesses, product availability, sales volumes, profit margins, weather, foreign currency fluctuation, availability of suitable real estate locations, our ability to react to a disaster recovery situation, and the impact of labor markets and new product introductions on our overall profitability. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other matters can be found in the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 18, 2004, and in our other periodic reports filed from time to time with the Commission. Best Buy cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not complete and assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements that it may make. |
