LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Richard Branson's Virgin Group said it was jumping into online music, with a "Digital Megastore" for US customers offering song downloads for 99 cents.
The move pits the British magnate's company against the popular Apple iTunes music service, Microsoft's MSN and others offering pay-per-download.
Virgin said it would be offering more than one million songs on its site and would be selling at least 50 portable music players.
"Virgin stands for innovation, fun, and an absolute dedication to customer value," Branson said in a statement Monday.
"We worked directly with passionate music fans around the world and together we've come up with a digital music service that truly defines the Virgin energy and spirit. It's time for a digital music revolution."
Virgin also will offer a subscription-based service for 7.99 dollars per month, allowing unlimited access to its library.