The UK Podcasters Association, a non-profit organization promoting podcasting, has announced that it has come to an agreement with AIM, the UK-based Association of Independent Music, which allows members preferential access to AIM’s podcast license.

The AIM podcast license covers over 30,000 tracks licensed by the UK independent music industry and includes labels such as V2, XL Recordings, Studio !K7, Cooking Vinyl and Beggars Group.

UK podcasters will have unlimited access to full length music tracks from top artists such as The White Stripes, Paul Weller, Bloc Party, Echo and the Bunnymen, Dizzee Rascal, Mylo, Basement Jaxx, Editors, Stereophonics and Coldcut to use in their podcasts.

“This is a step forward for the whole of music podcasting in the UK,” said UKPA Chairman Dean Whitbread. “It raises the bar for music podcast programme making. ”

You can listen to a podcast discussion between Whitbread and the Chair of AIM’s New Media Committee, Simon Wheeler, below. Details on the license are available at the AIM site.

The AIM Podcast License

The AIM podcast license is designed to ensure that both labels and artists will be paid as a result of podcasters using their music, and allows for the use of the full track.

“AIM‚Äôs licence allows full tracks to be used in Podcasts, which is what consumers and Podcasters want,” said AIM’s Alison Wenham. “There are opportunities for the independent sector and the pioneers of podcasting to use a library of over 30,000 full length tracks (and growing rapidly) from some of the premier independent companies and artists, to come up with imaginative programming and give the fans what they want.‚Äù

“Podcasting can make a real impact on music sales, but this has to be done in a responsible way. UKPA is committed to working with AIM and other organisations and businesses to develop legal music podcasting in the UK.”

via Chris MacDonald, Dean Whitbread