AOL's MusicNet is making a late move into the digital download business by offering songs a la carte.
Users who pay $8.95 per month for MusicNet's unlimited streaming offering will also be able to download songs for 99¢. MusicNet will still have to compete with iTunes, however, which was recently integrated into AOL's music section.
MusicNet was eclipsed last year by Apple's iTunes and other new competitors, as the service remained available only as a subscription offering that included a mix of streaming and limited downloads. It survived until now thanks primarily to its relationship with AOL, which offers MusicNet directly to its subscribers.
Service is the oldest existing online music store, having launched in 2001 as a joint venture of BMG, EMI Music, Sony Music, Time Warner and RealNetworks.
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