Microsoft offers individual music downloads

Microsoft has launched an online digital download service for European music lovers, offering over 200,000 tracks.

The new service, launched with Peter Gabriel's digital music company OD2, lets you download individual tracks without requiring a monthly subscription.

OD2's catalogue includes over 200,000 tracks by 8,500 artists including Eminem, Christina Aguilera, Kylie, Ms. Dynamite and David Gray.

You can download individual tracks via the MSN Music Club and the Tiscali Music Club from 0.99 euros (£0.75) through the latest version of Microsoft's Windows Media Player.

Microsoft's rival Apple has enjoyed big success in the US offering music fans individual tracks for download with its service iTunes, but has yet to extend the offer to European music lovers.

Jonathan Usher, director of Windows digital media division at Microsoft, said: "For the first time, millions of music fans across Europe will be able to buy individual tracks from all five major music labels through the OD2 music platform."

"With MSN Music Club and Tiscali Music Club offerings easily accessible through Windows Media Player 9 Series, consumers can seamlessly search, browse, download, organise and play tracks as well as take their music with them on more than 50 types of portable music devices, or burn copies onto CD."

Both the MSN Music Club and Tiscali Music Club services also let you listen to new releases on the same day they are released to radio broadcasters - usually six weeks before they are available on CD in shops.

New users can download the Windows Media Player 9 Series by clicking here.