Just a quick look at the numbers told the folks at Yahoo Music they were onto something. In 2004, viewers tuned in to 2.9 billion music videos streamed from the site. In 2005, close to 25 million unique viewers visited Yahoo Music and watched 4 billion clips. But it wasn't until 2006, when music labels started looking to Yahoo as an indispensable part of their marketing strategy, that Yahoo execs realized TV screens were being eclipsed by computer monitors and laptops. Epic Records, for instance, had noticed that fans weren't satisfied with videos on MTV and VH1 anymore. They were clamoring for access to music videos on all kinds of screens - from laptops to smartphones to video iPods. To feed some of that demand, Epic created a special fan video for Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie." The clip, which was exclusive to Yahoo Music, became the most-viewed video on the site for three weeks. Verizon users could also watch the original video on their cell phones using the carrier's V Cast service.
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