Microsoft is giving Xbox Music lovers access to 100 different albums absolutely free of charge and discounting this week’s new ShadyXV release to just $.99.
The company hasn’t made a formal announcement about the free 100 albums it’s giving to Xbox Music users or said much of anything about the discounted albums in general. Xbox Music users found the deals overnight when the Music Deals app was updated with new content.
For the next 20 days, Microsoft is giving users what its calling Holiday Freebies, entire albums absolutely free of charge. Among the freebies are Eminem’s Recovery, Bob Marley’s Catch a Fire, Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange, Ellie Goulding’s Lights. Microsoft is also offering complete box sets from Prince, James Brown and Elton John for just $1.99. Those boxed sets will only be on sale for the next six days, as is typical.
Getting the deals is the interesting part. Technically, users on platforms other than Microsoft’s have access to Xbox Music Pass streaming through the web, iPhone and Android. Unfortunately, users will need the Xbox Music Windows or Windows Phone apps to take advantage of these deals. Those are the only two Xbox Music apps that allow for app purchases.
All told, it’s about the best Black Friday 2014 deal we’ve seen from Microsoft yet. Why the music deals aren’t being advertised inside the Xbox Music app itself remains unclear, but at least Microsoft is putting the app to work.