• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• Business Line
• The Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Preethi J

Bangalore , Dec. 15

MTV and Microsoft will bring music fans a gift in 2006 — an online music store, Urge. Microsoft Corp will build the technology behind Urge, which MTV Networks Inc will own, operate and promote.

Online music stores have been popular since 2003, when Apple Computers, a pioneer in the field, set up iTunes. Since then, 70 per cent of online music has been sold on http://www.apple. com/ itunes/, say industry experts. This helped reduce piracy to some extent, which is quite rampant in the music industry.

Now, Microsoft has partnered with music channel MTV to set up a similar site that will allow netizens to download music off the Net for a price. Currently, the price per song, $1.99 (approximately Rs 90) is unaffordable, and takers in India are few, but there is hope that the prices will reduce going forward. With subscription-based services, this might be possible. Urge is expected to follow such a model.

According to a release on Microsoft's Web site, Urge will debut early next year and is expected to sell 2 million songs worldwide. The collection of songs will range from original compositions to international best sellers. Urge will also offer exclusive MTV Network programmes.

At present, iTunes online store has 2 million songs, 3000 music videos, 25,000 podcasts and 11,000 audio-books (type of e-book), and even some TV shows for sale.

Currently the Web site http: //www.urge. com/ only says `Coming Soon'. Mr Bill Gates is expected to reveal the details about Urge at the International Consumer Electronics Show in January.

More Stories on : Music & Dance | Software | Online Marketing

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Fresh spell of rains likely in TN, Kerala

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line