HDGiants, which provided lossless WMA audio files for download, has filed for bankruptcy along with its subsidiaries HDMusic and MusicGiants.
All four major labels provided music through the company, and Sony Music Entertainment is listed as one of the largest unsecured creditors, Hypebot writes.
I wasn't aware of HDGiants before this news, which is too bad. One of my biggest gripes with iTunes and other online stores is the required download of lossy audio. I'm willing to pay a premium to download CD-quality music for backup purposes before MP3 conversion, and HDGiants' prices seem reasonable: So-called "HD Stereo" WMA tracks cost $1.29 each.
Poking around the MusicGiants Web site, however, one can see why the service may have struggled. The music is shackled by Microsoft Windows Digital Rights Management, and the store is only browsable through Internet Explorer or Windows Media Player. Customers also need to sign up for an account before purchasing music. It's not a consumer-friendly experience, and I can only see true audiophiles making the extra effort.
It would be nice if lossless audio migrated to more popular music services some day as a separate purchase option from MP3. This is a pipe dream, I know, but perhaps ITunes or another established store will pick up HDGiants' music offerings in liquidation.
