Amazon has stealthily launched its MP3 Store in the UK this morning, with some major, major reductions on frontline albums. For example, Take That’s The Circus, which came out this week, is being sold for £3, as are the most recent albums from Kings Of Leon, Coldplay and Girls Aloud.

On an individual track basis, the store has variable pricing, with songs starting at 59p, but other categories for tracks costing 60p-69p, 70p-79p, and over 80p. Albums are more variable, although £6.49 appears to be one popular price point for new albums.

The launch comes at a great time for digital, too. In the UK, high-street chain Woolworths (which recently went into administration) has 10% of the CD market, while its EUK distribution arm supplies CDs to the likes of Asda, Zavvi and Sainsbury’s. So just at the time when there’s a bottleneck in physical supply, Amazon is weighing into the UK digital market.

We think Apple knew this was coming too – it’s made a bunch of albums available for under £4 today in a limited price promotion. Amazon MP3    source