Amazon MP3 music download service to launch in UK

by Nikki Sandison, Brand Republic 23-Jun-08, 12:20

LONDON - Amazon.co.uk is planning to launch its MP3 digital music download service in the UK before October, according to a report.

Executives from Amazon's MP3 store in the US are understood to have been in London last week to finalise details of the launch with British record company bosses, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

The service launched in the US at the end of last year, giving customers more choice by offering tracks that are DRM-free and in the MP3 format, allowing them to play tracks on a wider range of music players.

Amazon will compete with established UK download retailers such as Apple's iTunes online music store and HMV.

The site is expected to go live before the final quarter of this year with a number of high-profile artists including EMI's Snow Patrol and Universal's Scissor Sisters.

The UK launch will kickstart an international rollout of the Amazon MP3 service.

Amazon believes it can attract an immediate following in the UK because MP3 tracks can be played on the majority of devices with digital music-playing capabilities.

In April, Amazon struck a deal with the manufacturer of 'Grand Theft Auto IV' to allow gamers to buy and download any of the music featured in the newly launched video game.