SEATTLE — Online music service Rhapsody plans to consolidate its global PR support as it expands into more international markets. 

In coming months Rhapsody plans to move into 16 new geographies, adding to last year’s acquisition of Napster International to spur European traction.

To support this broader scope, Rhapsody has invited three PR agencies to pitch for its consolidated global business, Jaimee Minney, senior PR director at Rhapsody, told the Holmes Report. Rhapsody currently works with Lyman PR in the US, the CC Group in the UK and a consultancy in Germany.

The consolidated brief -- which includes paid, earned and owned components -- is expected to be decided this month, with the new agency coming on board within 30 to 60 days, said Minney. The business is understood to be in the seven-figure range.

The remit calls for “amplifying our existing PR efforts to get our message in front of -- not only consumers -- but strategic partners,” Minney said. For instance, Rhapsody plans to work more closely with mobile operators to offer billing plans that include its subscription service.

Founded in 2001, Rhapsody was among the first online music services and has more than one million members. It competes with the likes of Spotify and Pandora.

“The streaming music sector is really hot and there’s obviously new participants,” Minney noted. “So this is a time when customers are really keyed into the value proposition and an exciting time to remind people of Rhapsody as the original online music service.”