With DAB+ and Internet radio beginning to pick up speed in Australia, digital radio maker, Pure Australia today launched a slew of digital and internet radio products, to take advantage of its Cloud based music service, FlowSongs.
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Graeme Redman, managing director of Pure Australasia, said it was the start of an exciting journey for the company and its customers, with FlowSongs providing a bridge between music discovered on digital, FM and Internet radio, and the ability to own that music.
Nearly 60 percent of the population in Australia are already exposed to digital radio broadcasts, but DAB+ broadcasts are so far confined to the five main capital cities.
Internet radio, however, which is also digital, is aiming to engender a more personalised relationship with a broader market, and can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection.
Listeners will be able to access the new service through any one of eight radios, including Sensia, Contour, Avanti Flow, One Flow, Oasis Flow, Siesta Flow, and Evoke Flow, along with the soon-to-be released Sirocco550, and future models.
FlowSongs has been available to UK listeners for some time, with Aussies now being able to buy tracks directly from the UK site, to be managed within the company’s revamped radio and media portal, the Pure Lounge, which acts as a comprehensive online music store, claimed to be the third largest music catalogue available.
Will Page, chief economist at PRS (UK) for Music, said the service can be likened to the birth of YouTube, by giving fans instant gratification, while ensuring that both the songwriter and artist get paid, which also goes some way to reverse music piracy.
The Lounge, which can be accessed at thelounge.com comprises innovative search facilities, while the store lets users buy tracks and manage playlists in a highly personalised way, while being listened to on any of the company’s digital and internet connected radio range.
Redman said the Lounge will quickly become the portal of choice for Internet media hunters.
“Effectively it is becoming the ‘Google’ of Internet radio portals,” he said.
The service is accessed by registering the Flow radio on the Lounge, and opening up an account with a credit or debit card.
When users hear the track they like, they simply select the FlowSongs option to identify the track, artist, album and price, and key in their PIN to purchase it.
In addition to being streamed off internet-connected digital radios, the songs can also be downloaded in high quality MP3 format to a PC or Mac to be added to the user’s MP3 collection.
Although being purchased from a UK site, Pure says annual subscription and individual track prices will be in line with local market rates and will depend on the publisher.
FlowSongs and the online music store will be available to Australian users from May.
