DETROIT, MI  [Thursday Jun.24.2004]  /WMQT.com/ -- American GIs in Iraq may soon be playing Blink-182, OutKast, Barry Manilow and the Bee Gees in their Walkmans -- compliments of the state of Michigan. According to The Detroit News, Michigan plans to ship 11,000 compact discs to Marines serving in Iraq.

The newspaper reported that earlier this year, the state received around 194,000 CDs. The discs were part of a nationwide settlement with five music companies and retailers which arose from a lawsuit brought by states and consumers. The lawsuit alleged that the music companies fixed the prices on CDs in the late 1990s. Stu Sandler, spokesman for Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox told The Detroit News that more than 79,000 checks in the amount of $13 each were sent to Michigan consumers as part of the settlement. As well, the record companies sent $75.7 million in CDs to 41 states. The CDs were to support each state's music-related programs.

Many of Michigan's CDs were given to libraries, public schools and domestic help centers, but CDs with parental advisory labels were not distributed. While some states opted to send back the parental advisory CDs, Michigan decided to send them to the soldiers in Iraq. Along with Blink-182, OutKast, Barry Manilow and the Bee Gees, the soldiers will get CDs by Nas, Aretha Franklin, Aerosmith and Mozart.

For more details, go to ://www.detnews.com/2004/metro/0406/23/b01-192414.htm.

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