Sony Japan To Sell Music On The Web

Sony Music Entertainment Japan says that it intends to set up a retail music distribution system over the Internet by the end of 1999. Sony Music Japan, a division of Sony Corp., is the first music company in Japan to announce an Internet distribution system. The music to be sold over the Internet will come from domestic artists signed by Sony Music. While pricing has not been announced, it is expected that the price for a single will range from 200 to 500 yen ($1.70 to $4.40), less expensive than singles sold in stores. Artists are to receive the same royalties from Internet sales as they currently do form CDs.The new announcement follows last Aprilís launch of a music distribution system on the DTS broadcaster Sky PerfecTV in which Sony Music Japan is a main investor. With that system, subscribers can buy the latest tunes via their Sony set-top boxes and download digital music to MiniDisc players or other digital recording equipment.