That’s because after using Snocap for identifying music uploads from its users for the past 12 months, imeem decided to acquire the company founded in part by original Napster-man Shawn Fanning in 2002.

Simply put, Snocap maintains a digital signature database of recorded music that it uses to identify songs either uploaded to sites such as imeem, or traded on peer-to-peer file sharing networks. Once Snocap obtains a match it can then determine if the music is licensed for various online distribution methods.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how imeem can benefit from its Snocap acquisition. As with many social networks, music is the glue that brings people together.

But users of networks like imeem or MySpace often upload music that hasn’t been cleared by the content owners for online distributorship, whether that be streaming, downloading or sharing. Imeem’s buying Snocap not only means the company has its own in-house licensing validation technology, but it also acquires technology to help unsigned artists sell and distribute their own music via Snocap MyStore, which is used by more than 110,000 unsigned and indie acts, as well as license that technology to other companies.

Along with Snocap technology, imeem gets an executive in the deal. Snocap’s chief operating officer, Ali Aydar, is imeem’s new VP of Operations.

“The Snocap team built a great technology platform that will be useful to imeem as we continue to grow,” said imeem founder and CEO Dalton Caldwell. “Together we’ll build on that work in the coming months, and give labels and independent artists new ways to promote and sell their music through imeem, MySpace and anywhere on the Web.”