The cloud-based music destination service we7 is launching in Ireland this month, giving people the option to legally listen to, share and discover its 6.5 million music catalogue for free.
Via the web-based service, people can access its music from PCs, certain mobile handsets, devices and tablets without requiring any downloads.
In the UK, we7 already delivers music to up to 3 million monthly users. The service was also awarded the 2010 Musicweek Consumer Facing Digital Music Service of the Year.
People can use the advertising-funded service for free or else opt for a monthly subscription service.
According to the company, we7.ie will allow users to choose the music they want to hear from all of the multinational labels, hundreds of independent labels and unsigned artists. People can play full songs online from personal radio stations, as well as make on-demand requests for specific songs or albums, including building their ultimate playlists.
Steve Purdham, CEO, we7
Speaking about the launch into the Irish marketplace, we7 CEO Steve Purdham said: “The internet is changing the way people listen to, share and discover music. we7 is at the forefront of delivering that change and bringing legal music services to all internet users in Ireland is a great opportunity for music fans, artists and we7 alike.”
Purdham himself is a veteran of the software industry, having built software businesses and technology funds such as Identum, SurfControl and Manchester Technology Fund.
Mobile personal playlists
Premium plus subscribers on the service may take their favourite music and playlists with them on their iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and a range of the new Android smartphones.
Personal playlists can be created and saved locally so the music can be played anywhere without a permanent connection being available, according to Purdham.
we7 also allows fans to share the music they are passionate about with their friends, by email and social networking sites, including Facebook and Twitter.
The site also aims to build a substantial catalogue of music from a host of established and emerging Irish artists.
The service will launch in Ireland on 17 January 2011.
John Taysom founded we7 in 2006. He brought in CTO Gareth Reakes. Purdham and musician Peter Gabriel became founder investors in early 2007, with we7 launching its music-streaming service in November 2008. The site is a venture-backed business by investors such as Eden Venture and Spark Ventures.
