London - Musician Peter Gabriel has announced the launch of a new digital music venture, We7, that will offer free, ad-supported music downloads free of digital rights management (DRM).

Gabriel, who also previously helped start a download provider called OD2 that was acquired by Loudeye in 1999, is joined in the new venture by technology entrepreneur Steve Purdham (CEO) and investor John Taysom.

We7 will graft 10-second ads on the front of music tracks, targeted to each individual consumer's demographics, including age, location, gender and other personal preferences.

The company said the ads will disappear after a number of listens, while ad-free versions of the songs on We7 will also be available at standard download prices.

We7 has not secured deals with any major labels, and will at least initially focus on independent music.

"We7 provides artists -- even across the more experimental or minority genres -- with the opportunity to build a new source of income from their music," said Gabriel.

"Ad funded downloads are the way to provide free music to the consumer without depriving musicians of their livelihood."

The We7 service is currently in beta, and expects to officially launch at the beginning of June.

Related Links:
http://www.we7.com/press/story.2.html

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/30/we7_music_downloads

http://tinyurl.com/2hj9k9 (Information Week)