Don’t call it a comeback… well, not until we see how music fans respond. But retailer HMV has launched a new digital music store in the UK, and an iOS and Android app to go with it. Users can browse HMV’s catalogue of DRM-free tracks and buy or pre-order them from their device, with HMV claiming to be the first non-iTunes store to allow such activity within a native iOS app. There’s also an Image Search feature to scan album covers and listen to track samples – including in-store through free Wi-Fi broadband – and a Shazam-style Sound Search feature to identify songs playing in the real world. But is HMV moving against the wider tide with its focus on ownership over access? “I’m excited to say that we’re putting music ownership back into focus with the launch of our new digital music products,” said HMV Digital MD James Coughlan in a statement. It all ties in with a relaunch of the HMV website, and a YouTube channel to go along with it, with the latter capitalising on footage of in-store performances – traditionally a strong point for HMV.
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