PC-based Disc Format Lets Users Try Before They Buy

Canadian entertainment company Song Corp., Microsoft Canada, and Reciprocal Systems have teamed to launch Foreplay Disc, an interactive downloading application that allows consumers to play an entire album four times before purchasing it. The Foreplay Disc will be marketed to major Canadian e-tailers; it will carry a list price of $3.99 Canadian ($2.61). The discs resemble standard CDs but cannot be played on standard players. Instead, they are encoded in the Microsoft Windows Media format for play on PCs; Reciprocal provides digital rights management.

The first Foreplay album, due in early February, will be from Toronto band the Pocket Dwellers, who are signed to the Song Corp.-affiliated Song Recordings label. Future albums will come from Song Recordings acts Maestro, Grapes Of Wrath, and Special Guests.

Once a consumer has played a Foreplay album four times, the disc directs them to several options: to purchase a regular version of the CD from a retail Web site at list price minus $3.99 Canadian; or to purchase the Foreplay Disc with an unlimited-play feature at $9.99 Canadian ($6.54). A coupon for $2 Canadian ($1.31) is provided for offline purchases.