MUMBAI: Los Angeles-based web and music service Napster has launched its DRM-free digital music stores. Napster announced that it will sell DRM-free tracks for 99 cents and albums at $9.95, which is comparable with Apple's iTunes Plus DRM-free songs.

Prior to this Napster had offered songs protected with Microsofts Windows-based DRM (digital rights management) system, which prevented users from illegally making multiple copies or distributing music tracks to other people.

The Napster MP3 store has over six million songs that will be sold without any DRM. This will allow customers to purchase music from Napster and to load their songs on any MP3 player, including Apples iPod and iPhone.

Last year Apples iTunes and Amazon music stores had started selling DRM-free music. In April 2008, however, Apple became the number one music retailer in the US, beating out Wal-Mart.