NexTune, a Redmond WA. based music software company, has announced the release of its new desktop music player, online music recognition service, and Music Store. According to the company, NexTune’s digital music software is the first desktop application capable of playing multiple digital music formats, including songs purchased from Apple’s iTunes Music Store and from download stores featuring Microsoft’s DRM (digital rights management).

NexTune is also introducing the first music application with a built-in CD music store. Users not only can buy new and used CDs at discount prices, they can also sell their CDs from within the nexTune software application and get instant credit to buy additional music.

“All the noise about digital music technology has frustrated and confused the traditional music buyer, and even driven them away from buying music,” said Michael DuKane, NexTune founder and CEO. “We wanted to bring back simple enjoyment of the personal music experience. We set out to develop a digital music application that was easy to use, that related to music consumers in a way that mirrored a CD collection, and most of all, gave them playlisting tools never before available to the general public.”

To help introduce its software, NexTune is giving away up to $50,000 in free music via a credit-towards-purchase promotion at the NexTune Music Store. By downloading and using the nexTune software application, music fans can get 15 days of access to the NexTune Music Profile Database, and credit (at $.10 per song) for adding music info to that database if it’s not already there. Then, they can purchase new or used CDs with those credits.

“We want to encourage everyone to give this tremendous playlisting and music management software a try, and what better way to promote a ‘music tool’ than to give away music with it?” said Michael DuKane, NexTune founder and CEO.

nexTune software not only allows users to catalog their music (digital files and CD’s), but also allows them to professionally program and playlist their music with blazing speed. The core of nexTune’s “Power Playlisting” relies on patent-pending Mood Maker and Composer technology. Combined with nexTune’s online music recognition service, users can get song identification tags that provide the intelligence to create playlists based on mood, tempo and style. Users can fine-tune their copy of nexTune to reflect their own music preferences and taste.

NexTune, a privately funded company, has been operating in stealth mode for over two years. NexTune partners Djangos.com and Muze, Inc. are both playing a significant part in the offering announced today. For further information, go to: http://www.NexTune.com