UK-based rara.com launches in Singapore today. The following are the highlights of this global digital music service.
What will be challenging to know is, if this is just purely streaming service, how much of an attraction if consumers are to know that it is a paid service, even if the first three months of the subscription is less than $1. Access to streaming music, is available on applications many easily installed applications like Windows Media Player and iTunes.
Check out the press release below for further information.
20 January 2012: 07.00 SGT – Singapore – rara.com, a revolutionary new digital music service designed specifically for the mass market who still use CDs and want an easier way to adopt digital music, launches across Singapore, Australia and Canada today, a month after launching across the USA, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark,Finland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and New Zealand.
To enable as many consumers as possible to experience the joys of rara.com, consumers will be able to gain instant access to rara..com and a catalogue of over 10 million tracks ad-free from just SGD$0.99 per month for the first three months in Singapore, AUD$0.99 per month for the first threemonths in Australia and CAD$0.99 per month for the first three months in Canada.
The new service will also be pre-loaded on the vast majority of Singapore, Australia and Canada HP PCs, and also available on Android, iOS and other platforms.
Imogen Heap, who will sit on the new service’s Music Advisory Board as an Associate Editor, said, “I’m really excited to be an associate editor for rara.com. As an artist in this transitional music business phase I believe that rara.com is heading sharply in the right direction. I’ve travelled the world this year and have realised that even if fans want to pay for the artists’ work legally it is often actually very difficult for various reasons. rara.com is a super easy service for everyone to use and I love the information on tracks and artists that rara.com gives you. This is just the beginning for rara.com and it’s a great start.”
“Uniquely, you can experience access to all the music you want, ad-free, for less than the price of a single track,” said Tim Hadley, rara.com Director. “Whether you’re into Gaga or Elgar, rara.com is a new kind of streaming music service which makes accessing the music you love online easier and more delightful than ever; type rara.com into your web browser and you have a world of music at your fingertips.”
The new service was developed following ICM Research* commissioned by rara.com which shows at least 70% of consumers have not bought a digital music track in the past six months, and that 60% have never experienced any form of digital music.
rara.com reaches this market by utilising a simple and beautiful user interface, which removes the need to navigate or manage lists of digital media files, through a standard web browser.
rara.com also features a wide selection of expertly curated music channels to suit your every mood at the touch of a button making playing music online with rara.com as easy as switching on your radio or CDplayer.
rara.com users can also share music through Facebook and other social networks.
rara.com has secured international licensing agreements with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music and Warner Music Group. Publishers and collection societies have also licensed the service internationally with Omnifone creating a catalogue of over 10 million tracks for rara.com users to enjoy.
“rara.com has delivered a music service that taps into an entirely new type of music consumer,” said Rob Wells, President of Global Digital Business for Universal Music Group. “Instead of competing with existing digital music services, it’s designed for the mass market of consumers who have yet to do digital music at all.”
“We are pleased to be partnering with rara.com on the launch of their new music service,” said Michael Paull, Executive Vice President, Global Digital Business, Sony Music Entertainment. “Growing the audience for digital music around the world requires services that resonatewith the mass market. rara.com has been designed with broad consumer appeal in mind with a simple interface that provides a great music experience and accessibility across a range of devices.”
“rara.com is a great new way for a whole new audience of fans to find, listen to and share music online, building deeper connections with the artists they love and discovering a world of new music as well,” said Mark Piibe, Executive Vice President – Global Business Development at EMI Music.
“The intuitive and thoughtfully designed interface combined with the curated channels makes rara.com a service that will be accessible and appealing to a wide audience and, potentially, an entry point for many people just starting the transition to digital music.” said Stephen Bryan, Executive Vice President of Digital Strategy and Business Development, Warner Music Group.
rara.com is powered by global cloud music service provider Omnifone. “Omnifone is proud to be behind this global digital music service,” said Omnifone CEO Jeff Hughes, “rara.com’s unique service is a great example of how a company can utilise Omnifone’s MusicStation Platform and unique global licensing services to bring a truly innovative service to market.”
rara.com’s global footprint is expected to double by the end of 2012.
Notes to editors:
*ICM Research: Sample 1000 adults.
Unique introductory pricing
Access to rara.com in Singapore costs just 99 cents per month for the first 3 months followed by a flat fee of SGD$4.99 per month for online access (web), with mobile access to rara.com on Android smartphones (web + mobile) just SGD$1.99 per month for the first 3 months then SGD$9.99 per month.
Australia/Canada monthly territory pricing for rara.com is as follows:
Australia
web: Australian Dollar (AUD) – first 3 months $0.99 / then $7.99
web + mobile: Australian Dollar (AUD) – first 3 months $2.99 / then $12.99
Canada
web: Canadian Dollar (CAD) – first 3 months $0.99 / then $4.99
web + mobile: Canadian Dollar (CAD) – first 3 months $1.99 / then $9.99
Users are free to unsubscribe from the service at any time.
Focus on technology, HIV/AIDS Awareness, Dementia and supporting several other social causes. Write mostly about the independent Arts scene in Singapore as well as the general works as organized by the various government bodies. Has a fascination with photography and indulge in a little mix of video editing. Very keen on living the social media experience without going over the top. 
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