Record labels offering low-priced music streaming service in UK

London

TWO major record labels are rolling out a low-priced music streaming service in the UK, a rare foray by record companies directly into the field and another sign the industry is finally moving towards more flexible pricing.

Now That's What I Call Music, a joint venture between Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment that releases a popular series of compilation albums, is finalising a streaming app called NOW Music+ that will offer playlists of hit songs for £4.99 (S$9) a month, or £5.99 if purchased in Apple's App Store, people familiar with the matter said. "NOW Music+" was quietly activated this summer amid preparations for a broader rollout, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. Although the app is limited to the UK for now, "this may change in the near future", the company writes on its website.