RealNetworks selling Rhapsody through Best Buy
Rolling Stones to offer music online for first time via Rhapsody
Follow @infoworldRealNetworks is now selling subscriptions to its Rhapsody online music service at Best Buy stores in the U.S. as well as through the electronics retailer's Web site.
The deal, announced Monday, gives Rhapsody a strong offline distribution channel to supplement its online presence. Rhapsody has more than 15 online distributors such as Audiogalaxy, Sony's Musiclub and Verizon Online.
Minneapolis-based Best Buy will be selling the service through kiosks in over 560 of its retail stores as well as through its Web site at http://www.bestbuy.com.
Real completed its buy of Listen.com Inc., creator of the Rhapsody service, earlier this month and has been busy sewing up deals to promote the service.
Also Monday, Seattle-based Real said that it would be offering music from The Rolling Stones for the first time in legitimate digital form via Rhapsody.
Real is competing with music services such as Apple Computer's iTunes online store and Yahoo's Launch as well as with peer-to-peer file swapping sites such as Kazaa and Morpheus.
Real launched RealOne Rhapsody in May after announcing its intention to buy Listen.com and began offering downloads of songs for $0.79 in a bid to woo users.
