Universal Music France premiered Blu-ray Pure Audio in France on 14 May. This format allows users to experience or re-experience the work of an artist under exceptional conditions with a perfect, unparalleled sound quality – whether regarding the depth of the orchestration or vocal details, the music comes through exactly as the artist intended it to sound during the studio recording.

Blu-ray Pure Audio consists of high-definition digitized studio masters with a minimum of 24bits/96khz, and is compatible with all Blu-ray players on the market.

To begin with, 36 titles from the French and international variety, jazz and classical catalogues will be on offer. The artists include Barbara, Alain Bashung, Serge Gainsbourg, Bob Marley, Supertramp, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Herbert Von Karajan, Hélène Grimaud and Rollando Villazon, to name just a few.

Album prices start at €19.99, plus a free download offer.

Over time we have become used to compressed music that is neither natural nor faithful to the original recording, but young people have become fond of vinyl and are learning to appreciate quality sound. Pascal Nègre, President of Universal Music France, Italy, Middle East and Africa and UMG’s global head of new business, Blu-ray Pure Audio is “a superior medium that we’ve been working on for the past two years. Sound, after all, is our core business – our most basic raw material!