Tower says its new online service operates under three basic mandates: Make it easy to use, make it promotionally robust, and provide better sound quality. While nothing short of a direct, hardwired connection straight to the brain might make today’s online stores easier to use than current point-and-click methods, Tower has gone the extra audio mile for its customers by encoding its downloads at a higher bit rate than most online stores. Plus, the price is what we’re already used to – 99 cents a track, and $9.99 and up for entire CDs, with all music encoded in Microsoft’s Windows Media Audio format.

Also, unlike most online stores, you probably already have all the software needed to conduct business with Tower Records Digital. In contrast with iTunes, which needs the iTunes software to access the store, Tower’s new online service works with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.

Another area where Tower differs from other online music stores is it bundles downloads with physical CD purchases, resulting in discounts to customers purchasing CDs at the Tower brick & mortar stores or mail order via Tower.com.

Tower Records Digital represents more than just another online player in the music download biz. It also shows how traditional music stores can adjust to the digital reality of the 21st century. Ever since major retailers started using music as loss-leaders, soothsayers have been sounding the death knell for physical music stores. Tower Records Digital may not save the brick & mortar retail music industry, but it will position the chain as a full service, online and offline music outlet. Something those harbingers of doom never predicted.