Music Blog To Offer High-quality Song Streaming

RACHEL METZ

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Consumers seem reluctant to sign up for online music services that charge subscription fees, yet a music blogging site is hoping to reel in music lovers by offering unlimited access to a catalog of high-fidelity tunes for $5 a month.

Berkeley, Calif.-based Mog, which launched in 2006, said Wednesday that it plans to roll out Mog All Access before Thanksgiving. The new service includes partnerships with the four major music labels — Universal Music Group, EMI Music, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment — along with thousands of independent labels.

The catalog will initially include more than 5 million tracks, and the company plans to add millions of additional tracks in the coming months.

Mog isn't necessarily cheaper than similar offerings. Best Buy Inc.-owned Napster, for example, sells a $5-a-month music-streaming pass billed in three-month increments of $15. And since Mog isn't offering users the opportunity to download tracks from its site, you'll have to listen to the music on a computer. The company expects to release an iPhone or BlackBerry application this year, possibly both, that will allow downloads on those devices for an expected $12 to $15 per month.