The portal is now available in 16 countries

Apr 24, 2009 14:57 GMT  ·  By

Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia has announced today that it has launched its virtual Nokia Music Store for South African users. The portal offers millions of tracks, both local and international, including Prime Circle, Karen Zoid, Proverb and Simphiwe Dana, as well as exclusive download rights for the Mnet Idols Season 5 winner track for 7 days starting May 4.

“South Africans have waited a long time for a local store offering both international hits and local favourites,” said Jake Larsen, Nokia's head of Music for Middle East and Africa. “The Nokia Music Store caters for a variety of tastes and with just one account music lovers can access the store via any desktop computer or directly from optimised Nokia devices such as the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia N96 and Nokia N95 8GB.”

The store features an intuitive user interface that allows users to easily download full-length tracks, and create their own playlists or add tracks to wishlists in case they'd like to buy them later. Those who would like to acquire songs from the portal can download them to a PC and then easily transfer them to their Nokia devices using the Nokia music PC client that is also available on the Nokia Music Store, as well as on the product software CD available in the latest devices' sales packages.

Through the launch in South Africa, the Nokia Music Store is now available in 16 countries, including the portals recently opened in Ireland and the United Arab Emirates. We should also mention that the Nokia Music Store is kept up to date with the latest songs through Nokia's partnerships with major record labels such as Sony Music, Universal, EMI, Warner, as well as with local independents like African Cream, Coolspot, Sheer and Next Music.

Among the South African artists that users can find available on the store we can mention electronic acts Kalahari Surfers, Goldfish and Felix Laband, rock bands The Narrow, Snotkop and Springbok Nude Girls, a full Afrikaans genre including the likes of Kurt Darren, Piet Botha and Karen Zoid, kwaito guys Tzozo and Professor, hip hoppers Prophets of da City, Judith Sephuma, MCs like Teba, not to mention traditional artists like Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Those who would like to purchase songs from the Nokia Music Store have at their disposal a wide variety of payment options, such as credit cards and pre-paid vouchers. The price of individual tracks has been set at R10, while an entire album costs R100. In addition, customers are also offered the opportunity to listen to 30 seconds of a song before buying it. The South African Nokia Music Store can be accessed here.