MP3 is dead - new MusicDNA music format includes song info, lyrics and video

A new music file format has been unveiled this week which is able to carry extra information besides the song - including videos, lyrics and information about the song.

Created by the Norweigan developer who was behind the first mp3 player, and backed the German researcher credited with inventing the mp3, the new format certainly has the right pedigree. Called MusicDNA, the new file type can carry up to 32GB of extra information besides the song itself - and more importantly, the information carried by the file remains updatable. That means that each time the user connects to the internet, song information can be updated, so that for example interviews with the band could be added to the song information as they became available.

Speaking at a music conference, the new file's creator Dagfinn Bach commented: "We can deliver a file that is extremely searchable and can carry up to 32GB of extra information in the file itself.  And it will be dynamically updatable so that every time the user is connected, his file will be updated."

Music DNA will be launching in beta this spring with a full roll-out towards the end of summer. However it is up against Apple's iTunes LP which also gives users bonus content alongside songs, and currently still lacks the backing of any major music labels; so it may have some way to go before becoming a widely accepted format.

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