Neil Young has been a vocal critic of CDs and MP3s, so it should come as no surprise that he will be launching his own PonoMusic music service, which will aim to provide listeners the highest quality music possible. In addition, he will will be selling his own device, the PonoPlayer.
Rolling Stone reports that the player will be available through Kickstarter on Saturday, March 15 and will retail for $399. The player will also be available through PonoMusic.com.
“It's about the music, real music,” Young said Monday. “We want to move digital music into the 21st century and PonoMusic does that. We couldn't be more excited – not for ourselves, but for those that are moved by what music means in their lives.”
According to PCWorld, Young will officially introduce the device at SXSW on Tuesday. News of PonoMusic leaked early when a press release surfaced.
The release claims that the triangular device will have 128GB of memory, enough space for up to 500 high-quality albums. It will also feature an LCD touch screen.
“Hearing Pono for the first time is like that first blast of daylight when you leave a movie theatre on a sun-filled day,” Young said on the Pono Facebook page.
Young has been working on the project since 2012 and told Rolling Stone that year that he believes Apple co-founder Steve Jobs would have supported his idea.
Young has a few other projects in the works this year, including a new album to be released through Jack White’s label. He is also working on a new book about his second love - cars - which will be released in the fall.
image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
