Sony Music Entertainment plans to start selling copy-protected downloads of singles for $2.49 each in late April, but will later boost prices to $3.49, a company spokesperson said.

Sony formally announced on Monday (4/10) that its first offerings will include singles by Mary Chapin Carpenter [ tickets ], Elvis Crespo, Celine Dion [ tickets ], Lauryn Hill, Jennifer Lopez, Shawn Mullins and Pearl Jam. All of the download singles that Sony will issue have been previously released.

After the introductory price period ends, the singles will cost the same as most physical CD singles. Some consumers had hoped that Internet distribution, no longer dependent on costly shipping and packaging charges, would make music cheaper than CDs.

All singles selected for the Sony download trial are currently available through brick-and-mortar retailers at prices ranging from $3.49 for Carpenter's "Almost Home" to $6.49 for a maxi-single of Dion's "It's All Coming Back to Me Now," which includes five re-mixes of the same track. A few of the singles are only available as import versions costing more than $10, which would, of course, make a $3.49 download a cheaper option.

The tracks will be playable on Microsoft's Windows Media Player with Sony's music file plug-in. Sony plans to introduce other formats in the future, but did not specify a release date. The only portable audio device which can currently play the downloads is Sony's Memory Stick Walkman, although Sony said that other devices that work with its format will be available this spring.

Other major music label groups, such as BMG Entertainment and Universal Music, have announced plans to sell secure downloads, but none have announced prices. Other downloadable music retailers, such as Emusic.com and Musicmaker.com, are selling downloadable tracks for as little as $1 each.