Microsoft Corp. this week introduced Xbox Music, the first all-in-one music service that gives freedom to stream custom-created playlists for free, subscribe to all the music one wants or download-to-own favorite songs. Microsoft Xbox Music service will be available on Xbox 360 and later this month on Windows 8 and Windows RT PCs and tablets and on mobile phones, starting with Windows Phone 8 at launch and additional platforms later.

“The launch of Xbox Music is a milestone in simplifying digital music on every type of device and on a global scale. We are breaking down the walls that fracture your music experiences today to ensure that music is better and integrated across the screens that you care about most - your tablet, PC, phone and TV,” said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft.

Xbox Music launches with a global catalog on par with iTunes, offering 30 million tracks from some of the leading music labels around the world. It will be available on all Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets and PCs and on Windows Phone 8 smartphones, and it will be part of the 2012 console update for Xbox 360. Free streaming on Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets and PCs launches October 26 in 15 markets worldwide. Xbox Music Pass will be available for Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 in 22 markets worldwide; it will begin rolling out this week on Xbox 360 in the same markets. Xbox Music Store will also be accessible on Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 in 22 markets worldwide as devices become available. Microsoft will continue introducing Xbox Music in new regions around the world throughout the coming year.

Today, music is hard to manage, and no one has mastered ubiquity or created a service that works together to make music easy for the user. Xbox Music promises to make music simple by offering immediate and comprehensive discovery across the different types of devices, free streaming music on Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets and PCs, the ability to purchase songs and albums, a compelling music subscription, and artist-based radio. The all-in-one Xbox Music service also features Xbox Music Pass (unlimited playback of any track in subscription package for $9.99 per month), Xbox music store, Smart DJ feature (a quick and dynamic way to personalize a music collection), cloud storage, social music and other.

Tags: Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox Live, Xbox Music