MTV launch online music download store

MTV to challenge iTunes

15 May 2006 20:08 GMT / By Stuart Miles

MTV is the latest company to offer a music download service as it finally announced its online music download service would go live on Wednesday, albeit some 6 months after it first announced it would.

The service, which will be integrated into a forthcoming version of the Microsoft Windows Media Player will offer more than 2 million songs from the major labels and thousands of independents.

Some of the songs will be from performances on MTV's broadcasts. And MTV Networks hopes to differentiate its music store with programming and features, many related to its television shows, that will help users find music they like.

First announced in December last year, the new service will work in a similar way to Napster and RealNetworks by offering customers the chance to pay a monthly subscription. For $9.95 a month, users will be able to get access to unlimited downloads, but only on their PC. For $14.95 users will be able to transfer the songs to a portable MP3 player other than Apple's iPod which is not supported by the service.

Not wanting to miss out on the chance to sell visitors to the store single tracks MTV has also said that it will be offering tracks a 99 cents each.

MTV has said they will be bringing the service to the UK and Europe however the company has yet to set a timeframe as yet.

We will keep you posted.