The news
US-based music-download operator eMusic, the claimed world No.2, is launching its service today right across the EU. It's offering a catalogue of 1.7 million tracks in MP3 format that should work on all portable music players, including iPods. In contrast, though, with Apple's market-leading iTunes Music Store, eMusic sells monthly subscriptions, rather than individual tracks, albums or album collections.
However, there's a major plus point - the company says that its "high audio quality" (192K VBR bit rate) MP3s allow consumers to burn CDs, transfer music to MP3 players and make as many copies of songs or albums as they like for personal use. Customers "own, not 'rent', their music", according to eMusic. And downloads, it says, "are yours to keep, even if you cancel your subscription".
As a sign-up incentive, eMusic is offering 25 free downloads, irrespective of the chosen subscription package, of which there are three:
eMusic Basic
at £8.99/ €12.99 per month.
This buys up to 40 downloads - at 22.5p/ €
0.325 per song
eMusic Plus at £11.99/ €16.99 per month. This buys 65 downloads at 18.5p/ € 0.261 per song
eMusic Premium at £14.99/ €20.99 per month. This buys 90 downloads at under 17p/ € 0.233 a song
eMusic Plus at £11.99/ €16.99 per month. This buys 65 downloads at 18.5p/ € 0.261 per song
eMusic Premium at £14.99/ €20.99 per month. This buys 90 downloads at under 17p/ € 0.233 a song
Today's launch is reckoned to be the culmination of a strategy to license "hundreds of EU-specific labels" that started to be put into place nearly two years ago when eMusic set up its EU HQ in London.
eMusic's European president Steve McCauley said,
Thanks to the abundance of
highly successful independent labels in Europe, eMusic’s
European
customers will benefit from an even greater selection of labels and
artists. eMusic looks forward to giving the 30 million-plus iPod
owners in Europe a choice about the type of music they buy and where
they buy it.
And overall president and CEO David Pakman, commented,
The monopoly of iTunes
in Europe is over. European consumers, fed up with homogeneous music
and services focused only on mainstream pop can now discover a wealth
of music created to transcend rules, boundaries and commercialism. At
eMusic, fans can explore our vast catalogue of groundbreaking
independent music which plays on any digital music device, starting at
just 17p or €0.23 a track. We are excited to introduce the
most diverse
catalogue of music in the world to European independent music fans who
are crying out for a download service that caters to their needs.
Tracks from established and emerging artists are said to be available in every genre, among them rock, jazz, hip-hop, blues, classical, country, folk, electronic, world and reggae.
They're available from well-know artists including Bob Marley, Ray Davies, Paul Weller, Miles Davis and Johnny Cash.
Performers more left of centre are also available for download - notably Bjork, the Fall and Basement Jaxx - along with new-breakers, such as the Rapture, the Pipettes and Four Tet.
eMusic's new site is said to offer tracks specific to domestic territories and include the most important European independent music, "specifically merchandised" for British and other European audiences.
Labels "newly available" to European customers are reckoned to include independent giants Beggars Group (XL, Matador, Beggars Banquet, 4AD, Too Pure), Edel, Domino, Ministry of Sound and "many more".
The company says that it's encouraging customers to discover new music by providing "award-winning editorial from a distinguished writing staff led by best-selling music author Michael Azerrad". He, eMusic says, has been joined by "acclaimed" British music journalist Barney Hoskyns, whose hatband carries the title, senior UK music columnist.
eMusic's site is reckoned to have more than 120 contributors writing "definitive" articles spanning every kind of music it offers. This is said to take in thousands of reviews, in-depth columns and eMusic Dozen - "a guided listing of the best the site has to offer under a given theme".
Check out eMusic's press release on page two of this article. Then tell us in this thread in the HEXUS.lifestyle.news forum whether you think that eMusic's subscription model is going to seriously challenge the dominance of iTunes.