iTunes crosses language barrier with Foreign Exchange

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Apple's iTunes Music Store is introducing a new original programming feature designed to promote foreign-language music in its stores around the world, Billboard has learned.

The program is called Foreign Exchange. Under the initiative, two artists from different countries translate and cover each other's music in their native tongues.

iTunes is launching the program with German electronic act Wir Sind Helden and +44, an American rock act featuring Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, formerly of Blink-182. Wir Sind Helden is covering +44's "When Your Heart Stops Beating" and +44 is covering Wir Sind Helden's "Guten Tag."

iTunes, which has a presence in 22 countries, is offering the covers and the original versions from both artists. The covers will be available exclusively on iTunes.

"The idea is exposing people to bands they may not listen to," Hoppus said. "In America, we don't really listen to music in other languages. I think it's a cool idea to get people to open their ears to music from different parts of the world."