hmv Canada Introduces its Latest Digital Music Store and Announces New App

Enhanced digital music download store and new smart phone app brings Canadians to the forefront of music discovery

TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2013 /CNW/ - hmv Canada, the country's premiere retail destination for music and entertainment, unveiled today its enhanced online music store, hmvdigital.ca, and its new companion mobile app. The hmv digital Canada app will allow users to shop, look and listen by combining image and sound searches with mp3 downloads for the first time.

Canadians can browse the extensive digital catalogue featuring the hottest new releases and biggest hits in music, to pre order or buy individual tracks or complete albums. Their digital purchases are added to the user's virtual locker 'myhmv.'

The new app also features an innovative image search, which allows users to scan album covers with their Apple mobile device to access 30 second track previews. Android users can purchase mp3 downloads from their device, using this function. Image search provides an effective way for music lovers to sample each track on their own device, before they purchase it, with a simple scan of the album cover.

Sound Search lets users discover the tunes they hear around them every day, whether it's the music playing in store at hmv or a track playing on the radio. One can use sound search to identify their favourite song, and purchase the download immediately.

"hmv Canada is incredibly excited to offer this newest digital music store and its innovative music app to our customers," said Nick Williams, President and CEO of hmv Canada. "As the country's trusted source of music and entertainment, we are giving our customers an even easier way to access and discover the music they love, and are confident this platform will enhance their experience in an online space, given its success in the UK market."

James Coughlan, Global Managing Director of hmv Digital adds, "I'm excited to say that we're putting music ownership back into focus with the launch of our new digital music products in Canada. Today we kick-start our wider digital strategy roll-out and allow music lovers to enjoy the traditional hmv shopping mall experience, with the ability to discover and build a high quality digital music collection, delivered and managed across devices, from hmv, the Home of Entertainment."

Users can begin purchasing mp3 albums and individual tracks at hmvdigital.ca, and download the free app from Android Google Play and the iTunes App Store.

About hmv Canada

hmv Canada's first store opened in 1986, from which it has grown to become a Canadian entertainment market leader with 111 stores from Newfoundland to British Columbia, including flagship locations in Toronto, Edmonton, and Montreal. hmv Canada is an innovator in its market, launching in 2009 hmvdigital.ca its digital  music store, in 2010, the purehmv customer rewards program, which has attracted over 1.5 million paid cardholders.  hmv has been named Canadian Music Retailer of the Year for the past 21 years, and has also been recognized as the Canadian Entertainment Network DVD Retailer of the Year. In July 2011, Re:Capital Canada, a subsidiary of Hilco Capital, acquired hmv Canada from the UK's HMV Group plc.

SOURCE: HMV Canada Inc.