Yahoo switches music users to partner, Rhapsody

Sunnyvale (CA) - Upon closing its own subscription music service, Yahoo will switch its customers to Rhapsody as part of a partnership between the two companies.

Yahoo’s "Music Unlimited" service has shut down its doors, but users will have their entire account transferred to Rhapsody, a similar service offered by Real Networks.

All user music collections and even subscription fees will be retained, says Yahoo. Its monthly rate is around $9, and users who paid for a year in advance locked in at around $6. However, eventually all subscribers will need to start paying the standard Rhapsody fee of $12.99 per month.

Rhapsody, like Music Unlimited, allows users to access as many songs as they want while their subscription is active.

As part of the newly minted partnership between Yahoo and Real, the two companies will work together for other digital services and promotions. Yahoo has been moving away from direct e-commerce services and has instead focused on service supported by advertising revenue.

"We already have a very significant streaming ad-supported business and that’s something that I’m particularly interested in continuing to expand," said Yahoo’s head of media Scott Moore in an AP story.