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Digital
Variable pricing arrives at eMusic
By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 22 November 2010
As widely expected, eMusic has launched variable pricing. Until recently, the once-indie-label-only bulk-buy-subscription download site charged members one credit for every track they downloaded. But when they announced last month that they had done a licensing deal with Universal, eMusic revealed they would now give tracks a monetary rather than credit value.
This change has resulted in variable pricing, so that while most existing tracks in eMusic’s US catalogue will be available at 49 cents, newer tracks added could be anywhere up to 89 cents. Although that is cheaper than rival iTunes, users still have to buy in bulk, paying a monthly subscription that is then credited to their account.
As previously reported, uber indies Beggars, Domino and Merge last week pulled out of eMusic because of the new pricing structure and other new terms added to their licensing deals since Universal came on board.