Organisation: Virgin / HMV

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Analysis and commentary by Echo Research.

Combative rhetoric bloomed in the budding digital download arena last week, as two music retail giants drew their opening battle lines . "HMV and Virgin to do digital battle in days", hailed Silicon.com (31/8), while The Sun focused on the core issue, "Downloadsamoney: Two tribes go to war"(1/9). The problem for commentators, however, appeared to be in distinguishing the "unique"(Gennaro Castaldo - HMV, Mirror, 2/9) qualities of both HMV and Virgin's new, but " similar digital download services"(vnunet.com, 2/9).

Both companies claimed a "strong music heritage"(Richard Branson, netimperative.com, 1/9), to be read perhaps as their, "high degree of music brand awareness and … crucial High Street presence"(Register, 31/8). In addition, both offered access to million-plus catalogues via a monthly subscription, pay-as-you-go options, pricing flexiblity, together with a host of other goodies, such as digital radio, downloads of live performances, dedicated help for non-techies and much, much more … "Virgin and HMV raise stakes in race to corner download music market"(FT, 2/9).

Each fought valiantly, and more or less equally, in the media arena, but the thorn in each brave combatants' side remained the market leading, and as yet exclusive, iTunes / iPod thorn, still locked securely behind Apple's "walled garden"(JohnTaylor - HMV, Guardian, 2/9).