Social networking giant MySpace officially confirmed its much-rumored [1] MySpace Music retail effort, teaming with Universal Music, Sony BMG and Warner Music Group to offer consumers free, ad-subsidized streaming content as well as premium downloads a la Apple's iTunes. The New York Times reports all three major label partners will own minority stakes in MySpace Music, and will offer up their complete content catalogs--holdout EMI is widely expected to join the venture in the near future. In addition to full-length, DRM-free tracks, MySpace Music will also offer ringtones, concert tickets, t-shirts and related merch--MySpace CEO Chris DeWolfe said a subscription-based unlimited access model is also under serious consideration. Pricing details were not disclosed. "This is really a mega-music experience that is transformative in a lot of ways," DeWolfe added. "It's the first service that offers a full catalog of music to be streamed for free, with full community features, to be shared with all of your friends."
For more on MySpace Music:
- read this New York Times article [2]
Related articles:
MySpace Mobile [3] launches on Sprint
T-Mobile USA befriends MySpace [4]
Vodafone, MySpace [5] more than just friends
Report: MySpace Mobile [6] leads social networking pack
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/myspace-mulling-digital-music-service/2008-02-20
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/technology/03cnd-myspace.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
[3] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/myspace-mobile-launches-on-sprint/2008-03-20?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss
[4] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/t-mobile-usa-befriends-myspace-mobile/2007-09-21
[5] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/vodafone-myspace-more-than-just-friends/2007-02-07
[6] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/report-myspace-mobile-leads-social-networking-pack/2007-01-17