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Visual Jazz creates online music service for JB Hi-Fi

Digital creative agency Visual Jazz has worked with music chain store JB Hi-Fi to launch a subscription-based online music service, JB Hi-Fi Now.

The service will allow users to create playlists and mix tapes, receive music suggestions, browse by genre and share music.

From early next year users will be able to access their music across multiple devices on Windows, Apple’s iOS and Android phone via the JB HiFi Now app, also developed by Visual Jazz.

Konrad Spilva, Visual Jazz managing director said: “The retail industry is at a turning point when it comes to online and JB Hi-Fi has been brave in being one of the first local majors to truly replicate one of their signature in-store experiences to a powerful out of store experience. We’re lucky in the sense that they’ve completely trusted us to deliver on this project, which really is the way of the future for music retail.”

Terry Smart, CEO of JB Hi-Fi said, “JB Hi-Fi NOW holds the license to more than ten million songs already and this will continue to grow as the site evolves. It’s designed to change continuously, with further social and community areas as our next immediate focus. Visual Jazz has brought the concept to life in an amazing way, adding features that have not been seen before and there are many more exciting developments in the pipeline following the launch.”

Spilva added: “There are other music sites around but none with the features and easy usability that JB Hi-Fi NOW delivers, and certainly not on a local level. It was an extensive process to develop the site and we’re certainly not done – possibly the most exciting part about the site is the huge potential to keep growing it in the future.”

The service will rival iTunes which currently charges per song or per album rather than by a monthly subscription. While musicians can make their music free, a song such as Pearl Jam’s Better Man costs $2.19.

Rumours that the European music service Spotify, which launched in the US in July, will launch in Australia in 2012 have ramped up with the hiring of Kate Vale, formerly head of Youtube, Australia and New Zealand as head of sales.

While Spotify offer a limited free service, with ads, it also offers a subscription system. In the US, subscription plans vary between $4.99 for unlimited and $9.99 per month for a premium account. Only the premium allows spotify on your mobile device.

As for advertising on the site, a spokesperson for JB Hi-Fi said: “JB Hi-Fi has no immediate plans to place advertisements on the site but it is something the company would consider if it enhances the experience for the user.”

JB Hi-FI Now has a free one-month subscription. A 12 month subscription fee is $80 ($6.67 a month) and $25 for three months or $50 for six months ($8.33 a month).

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