RealNetworks has announced a beta launch of a browser-based version of its Rhapsody music subscription service. Dubbed Rhapsody.com, the site lets customers access Rhapsody’s music library—which includes more than 1.4 million tracks from all five major labels plus independents—and popular features of the Rhapsody service from a Web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Apple’s Safari) rather than from a Windows-only jukebox application. For the first time, the move makes the Rhapsody service accessible to Mac and Linux users.
“With Rhapsody.com, we’re bringing the jukebox-in-the-sky to every internet user in America,” said Rob Glaser, RealNetworks’ CEO.
Via Rhapsody.com, RealNetworks says any consumer can stream up to 25 on-demand songs per month and access to 25 commercial-free radio stations, while Rhapsody Unlimited and Rhapsody To Go subscribers can stream an unlimited amount of music via the Rhapsody.com site. No credit card information is required to begin using the Rhapsody.com service.
RealNetworks is also rolling out a new Rhapsody Web Services program (designed to let third-party sites and Web services access Rhapsody tracks, albums, and radio stations, XML Feeds, and editorial content), along with Rhapsody 3.1, the latest version of its Windows-only Rhapsody desktop client.