Music updates: 100 free mp3-albums from Microsoft, 7digital selling FLACs

A couple of quick music updates of relevant interest. First up, Microsoft is giving away 100 mp3-albums for free. These are well-known albums from well-known artists, including the Super Deluxe edition of Who’s Quadrophenia, Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Abba, Norah Jones, various platinum Top 40 artists, and many more. To get them, you need Windows 8, the Microsoft “Music Deals” Metro app, and an Xbox account (free to sign up for). You can do this on any Windows 8 device, you don’t need an actual Xbox device. You can get as many as you like, including all 100 of them. These are 320k mp3s (at least the ones I checked). Offer ends in six days from blog-posting date.

Meanwhile, 7digital is starting to sell 16-bit and 24-bit FLACs on select titles. The only 24-bit I found so far is the new AC/DC album, “Rock or Bust”. You have to view the album pages using their new website Preview option (link at the top of the page over there). It’s the same url, so I can’t link to it.