Free music downloads: Stelios reveals all about new service

Stelios Haji-Ioannou - the entrepreneur behind the easyGroup companies - gave away details about his forthcoming easyMusic.com download service at the launch of his mobile venture this week.

He revealed that the software for the service has already been commissioned and that the service is expected to launch in December.

Unlike rivals such as iTunes and Microsoft's upcoming MSN offering, easyMusic.com will take a very loose stance on copyright issues.

easyMusic will allow musicians to put their own music up for download via the site and for users to download and share it as they see fit, as long as they don't try and make money from it.

"Initially, easyMusic will appeal to musicians who are starting out and may provide a route to a contract with a record label. Additionally, consumers will get wider access to the music of new artists for free," the company says on its website.

There will also be a pay-per-download section of the site for the music industry's better-known names.

With a market bursting at the seams with new music download services, Stelios isn't afraid of his addition to the scene going belly-up.

"It's only a small sum of money," he said, adding that he considered the venture "an interesting brand extension" and "a chance to get younger customers."