MUMBAI: On-demand streaming service, Rhapsody, will be the first streaming site to offer its licensed full-track playback to music fans on Twitter. Announced at South by Southwest, Austin, the music facility will be made available on the micro blogging site via audio cards.

Twitter users can stream, discover and share tracks from Rhapsody's licensed music catalogue which will ensure artistes, labels and publishers are paid for their work as songs are played. The audio card will be made available to Rhapsody members through an icon on the app. Twitter users will be able stream songs by sharing Rhapsody audio cards.

Rhapsody audio cards users will be able to enjoy tracks even while using the Twitter app. The card also provides the option to download tracks through the ‘Learn about Rhapsody’ button in an audio card. Users will have access to more than 34 million tracks in the Rhapsody catalogue through an exclusive preview of the service.

Rhapsody International chief financial officer Ethan Rudin said, “We loved how Twitter audio cards work seamlessly within the Twitter app and we wanted to make the experience of sharing music with friends easy by bringing great licensed content to one of the world's largest conversation platforms. Our goal with this launch is to not only help make streaming more social, but also to reinforce that music isn't free – every song played is accounted for and fully paid up."

Initially, the audio card was made available to artistes like Wiz Khalifa, Pearl Jam, Fifth Harmony, Flo Rida, Hunter Hayes, and other artists. Initially, the service will be made available in the U.S.