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Mon, 12 Oct 2009 Sky Songs streaming music service hopes to rival iTunes

And cut down on MP3 piracy

Nick Spence

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BSkyB will next week launch Sky Songs, a streaming music service it hopes with rival iTunes and Spotify in popularity.

The £6.49 or £7.99 per month streaming options will gives users access to four million tracks and allow either 10 or 15 tracks, in MP3 format, to be downloaded and kept each month. Additional song downloads will cost extra.

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The service is also seen as Sky's attempt to try and offer legitimate alternatives to downloading songs from blogs and file sharing sites freely.

"Our music partners bring an outstanding catalogue and unrivalled expertise that complements Sky's strengths in content distribution. Sky Songs will reach out to consumers who want legitimate digital services offering choice, ease of use and great value," said Mike Darcey, Sky's Chief Operating Officer in a press release.

"We want millions of homes using this regularly," Neil Martin, Sky's business development director told The Guardian.

"We're looking at a lot of the things out there, and you need to know a hell of a lot about music, or a hell of a lot about technology. For a mainstream audience, it needs to be pulled back a notch."

Users will reportedly not have to commit to a year's contract but can "dip in and out" of the service. Sky Songs goes live next Monday - 19 October.

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Comments received


Dragonfly said on Mon, 12 Oct 2009

Unlimited streaming at £6.49 per month sounds good compared to Spotify's £10. Also the screenshot of the website looks very Apple inspired (plagiarised). :-)

Nick said on Mon, 12 Oct 2009

I thought it looked like a mix of iTunes and 7digital. However, I believe 7digital has 7 million songs but you can't stream them.

Journalist's on Crack!! said on Mon, 12 Oct 2009

Crap headline (surprise). Apple sell MP3 at premium prices and Sky are streaming music - how can they be a rival when it is totally different? Spotify maybe.

Stop pretending everything is about sodding Apple and get a life.

@JOC said on Mon, 12 Oct 2009

"and allow either 10 or 15 tracks, in MP3 format, to be downloaded and kept each month"

Go back. Read the story again. Grow up. Stop writing like a child. Then... and only then... should you use the comments sections on websites.

Iain said on Mon, 12 Oct 2009

The iTunes store was only ever successful because the iPod was a great product, and required iTunes to upload music to it. These rival companies need to realise that they need a viable alternative to the iPod before people will ditch iTunes...

@JOC said on Mon, 12 Oct 2009

I agree!

It is a totally different business model but makes a story I suppose.

Michael said on Mon, 12 Oct 2009

Do they honestly mean MP3? That is 1992 technology. So many people think ACC is Apple proprietary when in reality it is MP4.

Fin Devious said on Mon, 12 Oct 2009

The subscription business model has never real been that successful, even Virgin Media has recently dumped the idea. £6.49 a month for 10 tracks. No thank you I'll stick to iTunes.

Jebus said on Mon, 12 Oct 2009

Is not something I would bother with. If it can get close to Amazon prices then maybe.

@ Fin Devious said on Wed, 14 Oct 2009

Unlimited streaming of up to 4 million tracks AND 10 tracks to download each month for £6.49 is better than Spotify Premium. You stick to iTunes...

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