Apple today debuted its countdown to half a billion songs sold through the iTunes Music Store with an online song counter so that fans everywhere can join in on the countdown.

Apple is also giving away an iPod Mini and an iTunes gift card for 50 songs to the customer who buys a song at each 100,000 interval, while the customer who downloads the 500,000,000 song will win a grand prize of 10 ipods (their choice on which model), 10,000 iTunes songs and an all expenses paid trip for four to see Coldplay perform live.

“As we prepare to cross this major milestone of half a billion songs, we want to thank our customers, the artists and the music labels who have helped make iTunes a global success,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of applications. “iTunes continues to be the world’s number one online music store featuring the world’s best digital music including special performances such as the Live 8 concerts.”

In addition, Apple has made available several performances from this weekends Live 8 concerts including ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ and ‘The Long and Winding Road’. Proceeds will benefit debt relief in africa.

Last week Apple released iTunes 4.9, which included full support for Podcasting.






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