Tesco has launched the beta version of its Blinkbox Music streaming service to rival market leader Spotify and the likes of Google Play Music.
The retail giant announced the service earlier in the year in a bid to take on the likes of Spotify. The music streaming service will also go head to head with a rumoured music streaming service from Apple, if that launches as expected this week.
The launch follows Tesco’s acquisition of music provider WE7 in 2012. WE7, co-founded by former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel, provides personalised streaming radio stations, with a catalogue of more than 11 million songs.
Read more about Blinkbox and Clubcard TVAt the time of the original announcement Tesco Digital Entertainment boss Michael Comish said: “Tesco is one of the UK’s leading retailers of movies and TV, music and books. How customers choose to enjoy those products is changing rapidly as technology changes the way we shop.”
The beta service will stream music over the web via a browser and also on a tablet or phone via an app. Apps are available on both iPhone and Android. Kindle users can access the service via an app that can be downloaded via Amazon’s App store.
Blinkbox Music purports to offer free music stations “designed” around the user. Music can be selected by searching for an artist, song or genre of music. Users can like or dislike a song being played that will help the service stream more relevant songs to the listener.
There are no details on when the service will come out of beta and launch as a full service.
It’s Tesco’s third online entertainment launch, following the purchase of film rental service Blinkbox, and Clubcard TV for Tesco loyalty card owners. Blinkbox Books is scheduled to launch later this year.
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