Majors EMI and Sony BMG are now opening their vaults and licensing out-of-print content to Amazon.  The move, announced Monday, returns the lost classics to physical form, and delivers copies based on customer orders.  The process is being managed by CreateSpace, a subsidiary of Amazon that specializes in the on-demand delivery of physical content. 

Instead of producing an album against an anticipated demand level, Amazon will only manufacture the titles if an order is placed.  That plays into the Long Tail, and taps into niche demand for older favorites.  Several hundred albums are being resurrected, including Hatari Soundtrack by Henry Mancini, Earthquake Weather by Joe Strummer, and Motorcade of Generosity by Cake. 

Other labels already using the program include Rhino, Wind-up, Vanguard and Naxos.