MusicGiants
is launching MusicGiants Network, a music download service offering
“high-definition” digital recordings. It is the first service to offer
this quality of downloads from all the major labels: EMI, Sony/BMG,
Universal and Warner. The company is also currently negotiating with
smaller and independent labels to carry their artists.
Its catalog includes artists ranging from Pink Floyd to 50 Cent. The
downloads are available in Windows Media Audio Lossless format for
$1.29 per song or an average $15.29 per album. Prices are above what
users have come to expect but the company claims their downloads have
up to seven times the sound quality of music from other services –
while typical music downloads have a data rate of 128 to 192 kbps
MusicGiant offers audio at up to 1100 kbps to bring listeners closer to
CD quality. Artists like Michael Bolton are backing the service saying
“it’s very exciting and promising to know that there’s finally a format
such as MusicGiants that will reproduce the musical integrity of our
work”.
A PC running Windows XP or Windows 2000 is required to used the
service. In order to download music, users must install the MusicGiants
software and open an account, paying a $50 annual fee (customers will
then be credited with $50 to spend on the downloads).
