Despite the fact that Apple’s iTunes Music Store and iPod digital music player are dominating the market right now, MTV Networks Inc. will enter the online music scene with URGE, a new service that makes its public beta debut this Wednesday. URGE comes integrated with the newest version of Microsoft’s Windows Media Player, which Windows users will receive in coming weeks as an upgrade. Initially, URGE will have more than 2 million tracks, individually priced at 99 cents. Entire albums will also be available starting at $9.95. Customers can also choose unlimited downloads at a monthly rates as low as $9.95. URGE will also feature streaming videos, with video downloads becoming available for purchase later this year, so MTV has begun clearing content from its vault of exclusive appearances by top recording artists. The biggest roadblock to the new service’s success? The fact that it’s not compatible with Apple’s iPods or Macintosh computers.
