• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, April 28, 2010

Jim Beam Bourbon, in partnership with Atlantic Records, is making exclusive downloads of Kid Rock tracks available to fans who purchase its Jim Beam or Red Stag brands.

Codes for downloading the otherwise unavailable music will be available on special edition gift cartons of the two brands throughout the country, starting in May. (In a few states, the codes are supplied to Beam brand purchases via tear pad coupons, per legal requirements.)

The downloads include an as-yet-unreleased song ("Times Like These") from Kid Rock's upcoming album and a compilation of live hits from his sold-out concert last summer in his hometown of Detroit.

According to Beam, this is the first time a spirits brand and major record label have partnered to distribute new music from an "A-list" artist via a nontraditional retail channel on this scale. Per the musician's policy, relatively little of Kid Rock's music is made available -- even for purchase -- via iTunes or other online download channels, according to a Beam spokesperson.

Last year, the bourbon company promoted the launch of Red Stag by sponsoring Kid Rock's "Rock N' Rebels" tour. The current promotion continues their cooperative efforts to encourage their fans to contribute to Operation Homefront, the nonprofit supporting American troops and their families -- in this case, by including text-to-donate instructions on the special edition spirits cartons. (A $5 donation can be made by texting "SALUTE to 90999.")