Hot on the heels of Astral Radio’s digital music initiative, the CBC has launched CBC Music, a digital music service available online at CBCmusic.ca, as well as through the iTunes app store for iPad, iPhone and iTouch.

Aimed at broadening its audience beyond its radio base, CBC Music features 40 radio stations, streams from CBC Radio 2 and CBC Radio 3 and 14 genre-based music communities ranging from rock and classical to country and jazz. As well, the platform features more than 25,000 independent music pages and musical content from CBC programs including George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight.

Chris Boyce, executive director of radio and audio of CBC English Services, says the launch of CBC Music builds off the pubcaster’s online experience with CBC Radio 3, which has lived strictly online since its launch in 2000.