will provide a catalogue of tracks based on the music taste of Metro readers, represented by Urban Life, Metro's online panel of 3,000 "urbanites" from the UK's major cities. The panellists are aged between 18 and 44, are in full-time work and are predominantly social grade ABC1.
The service has been developed in association with music marketing firm Affinity Music, in which the ad agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty has a stake. Affinity will be working in partnership with 7Digital Media, which will be managing the technology behind the site.
Tracks from Metrotunes can be purchased using a mobile phone via SMS as well as with a credit card. The service also supports the AAC Mac and iPod format on selected tracks.
Single tracks on the service will cost either 79p or 99p, the same price as Apple's iTunes, while album prices will vary depending what offers are on.
Metro says tracks range from artists such as The Streets, Norah Jones, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead and Robbie Williams.
Research showed that Metro readers are twice as likely to download music as the national average. Readers are also especially interested in hearing new music and going to see live bands.
Simon Binns, managing director of Affinity Music, said: "Metro readers love their music; they have been very quick to adopt downloading. Metrotunes has been developed purely for them, it will reflect their tastes and champion the artists they care about."
Metrotunes will be the lead media sponsor of the Digital Music Awards on October 19. The site goes live tomorrow.
Fellow Associated Newspapers title The Evening Standard recently announced the launch of a digital media service giving readers access to new music prior to release via a combination of CDs and online listening.
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