AfterDawn: News

Microsoft to launch streaming music site

According to a Telegraph report, Microsoft is set to launch their own streaming music site which will offer free streaming and pay-for downloads.

Peter Bale, executive producer of MSN, Microsoft’s news and entertainment portal, adds: “Music is an important area for Microsoft. We are looking at launching a music streaming service imminently. It will be a similar principle to Spotify but we are still examining how the business model will work.”



Spotify allows for free streaming as well, but users must listen to a minute of advertising every 30 minutes of playback. Users can also purchase a premium account for £9.99 a month which removes the ads.

Says Bale, via the Telegraph: “We are looking at how other similar businesses have structured their business models and trying to figure out what will work best for both consumer and Microsoft.”

The official also noted that service could eventually be tied directly to Xbox Live but did not elaborate.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 Jul 2009 3:03

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• 10 comments

• Jaussi

  I will not be using this. They are sure to infest their music with DRM. And also, I never pay to be able to download mp3s to my computer. When I pay for music, I 1) want it on a CD with all the artwork and lyrics, or 2) want to find new bands and artists via an internet radio for like 10€ a month, not 1€ per song listened. An excellent example of this is Pandora, which was a great service and brought many new bands to me, too bad I can't use it anymore. I would be glad to pay a monthly fee to be able to use it.

  14.7.2009 04:07 #1

• modmyxbox

  Sounds great tho i will not be useing it.

  14.7.2009 04:30 #2

• Mez

  Aren't they getting sued as we speek about something like this? I guess that had as much effect as a fly pissing on Godzilla.

  14.7.2009 06:29 #3

• Tendency

  Says Bale, via the Telegraph: “We are looking at how other similar businesses have structured their business models and trying to figure out what will work best for both consumer and Mircosoft.”
  
  Since when is Microsoft spelled Mircosoft? ;) $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  14.7.2009 07:29 #4

• mflyu2

  unless it supports ipods/iphones and such it will not beat itunes.

  14.7.2009 11:44 #5

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by mflyu2: unless it supports ipods/iphones and such it will not beat itunes.there's more than enough ways to anything to play on an Ipod. But frankly they would be best off not using DRM but rather basic account info or a number string that can be tied to an account.
  
  If it can easily be put on an Iapple device and any other hardware they will sale more of them, if they keep it locked to their hardware it will be worthless...

  14.7.2009 12:27 #6

• gallagher

  This is from the same company whose Zune would not even support its own music they were selling. Whatever happened to PlaysforSure?

  15.7.2009 03:00 #7

• Mez

  mflyu2, selling tunes that play on Apple products is a no brainer and the majority of sites sell mp3s or something that apples will play. The problem is M$ has been void of management with any brains at all for a decade. I can't see them being any competition for itunes. Apples biggest enemy is their own management. They aren't much better than M$.
  
  mflyu2, Apple will get REAMED within the next 5-10 years. Like M$ they have been brain dead for years but are so big they will be able to lumber on for decades. Their obsession with security and planned obsolecance of their players has yet to backlash much yet. That combined with much increased compitition spells loss of the hardware market. They lost 10% last year and will lose at least that this year. Apple has responded by cutting the price of their players but they are now designed to last less than 2 years of hard use. The only thing have going for them is their reputation which they are tarnishing for a few extra bucks.

  15.7.2009 07:55 #8

• fungyo

  after what M$ did to their customers from their last DRM infested music store, BEST to stay well clear people. Play with DRM and you will get burned, assuming they use DRM, which I'm sure they will.
  I think Balmer gets a woody from the use of DRM, as he knows he can screw over some more brainless money spending fools.

  16.7.2009 01:07 #9

• Mez

  fungyo, anyone that buys a DRMed tune and does not remove the DRM from the get go deserves what ever happens to them. Actually, you could 'borrow' a DRMed tune for a short period of time on the old system. If you removed the DRM it was good for ever. Good, if you concider comercial bit rate music good.

  16.7.2009 08:06 #10