Wal-Mart launched a DRM-free aisle of its music store today that will offer hundreds of thousands of tracks — some music from Universal as well as all of EMI’s catalog — in the MP3 format (256 Kbps, $0.94 per track).
The tracks are available now at walmart.com, with some being sold at lower per-album prices (certain albums from Norah Jones, Keith Urban, and Barrio Fino en Directo by Daddy Yankee cost $7.88 per album, while Bon Jovi and 50 Cent selections will cost only $5.88 per album).
Despite its lack of DRM, the store can only be accessed by users of the Windows XP or 2000 operating systems, according to an error messasge I just received when trying to access the store on a Mac.
Here’s the full announcement:
All MP3 digital tracks only 94 cents, with music content from major record
>
> labels such as EMI Music and Universal - available now at [Walmart.com](http://walmart.com/)
>
> ( [http://www.walmart.com](http://www.walmart.com/) )
>
>
>
> BRISBANE, Calif., Aug. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wal-Mart (NYSE:
>
> WMT) announces the launch of "DRM-free" MP3 music downloads, now available
>
> online at [http://www.walmart.com](http://www.walmart.com/) . At only 94 cents per track and $9.22 per
>
> album, the new MP3 digital format delivers value, convenience and the
>
> ability for customers to play music on nearly any device, including
>
> iPod(R), iPhone(R) and Zune(TM) portable media players. Wal-Mart is one of
>
> the first major retailers to offer MP3 digital tracks with music content
>
> from major record labels such as Universal and EMI Music.
>
> "As we consistently strive to help our customers shop smart at
>
> Wal-Mart, our new 'DRM-free' MP3 digital tracks give them the ease and
>
> flexibility to play music on virtually any device at a great value," said
>
> Kevin Swint, Wal-Mart's senior director and divisional manager for digital
>
> media. "Also, we're excited to launch our MP3 catalog with major record
>
> labels such as Universal and EMI Music that includes music from popular
>
> artists like The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, KT Tunstall, Amy Winehouse,
>
> Maroon 5, George Strait and Nelly."
>
> Wal-Mart's new MP3 music catalog includes hundreds of thousands of
>
> songs and albums, and will be continually expanded with additional
>
> mainstream and independent music content. Also, Wal-Mart is currently
>
> offering special MP3 album pricing on hundreds of album classics such as
>
> Come Away With Me by Norah Jones, Be Here by Keith Urban and Barrio Fino en
>
> Directo by Daddy Yankee at $7.88 per album; and Slippery When Wet by Bon
>
> Jovi and Get Rich or Die Tryin' by 50 Cent at $5.88 per album.
>
> Wal-Mart will continue to offer its existing WMA-format music
>
> downloads. Thus, customers may select the option of MP3-format downloads at
>
> 256 kbps for $0.94/track and/or WMA-format downloads at 128 kbps for
>
> $0.88/track.
>
> About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: [WMT](http://studio.financialcontent.com/Engine?Account=prnewswire&PageName=QUOTE&Ticker=WMT) )
>
> Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart discount stores, Supercenters,
>
> Neighborhood Markets and Sam's Club locations in the United States. The
>
> Company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El
>
> Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and
>
> the United Kingdom. The Company's securities are listed on the New York
>
> Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT.
>
> More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting
> [http://www.walmartfacts.com](http://www.walmartfacts.com/) . Online merchandise sales are available at
> [http://www.walmart.com](http://www.walmart.com/) .
