Online retailer Play.com is claiming a UK first with a music download service that offers tracks unfettered by digital rights management (DRM).

The service is open to users of iPods and other MP3 devices without the need for Apple's iTunes.

Play.com claims to have worked closely with EMI and " many large independent labels and distributors including Vital Music and Pinnacle" to become the first major UK retailer to offer songs in the DRM-free MP3 format.

James Suddaby, founder and editor of ILikeMusic.com, said: "It is great news that someone is challenging iTunes in the UK.

"It is only a matter of time before the other record labels are persuaded to go DRM-free in the UK, like we have seen in the US. DRM-free gives music fans choice and that can only be a good thing."

Play.com pricing starts at 65p per track (compared to 79p on iTunes) for top 100 tracks. Albums start from £4.95.

The online retailer claims to be hammering out DRM-free deals with other labels, adding to the current roster of artists over the next six months.

Play.com's move comes hard on the heels of Amazon's similar DRM-free offering in the US, where the company already sells DRM-free music from the big four music companies and around 33,000 independent labels.

A worldwide rollout for Amazon's do wnload service is planned for later in the year.