Starting next month, both Sony Music and Universal will release singles to radio and download stores simultaneously. By breaking away from the traditional “pre-release window” where music tracks were only sent to radio stations to maximize initial sales and then made available for download, the new move by these two major labels would hopefully create a dent in music piracy.

Most fans download the tracks illegally as soon as they are aired on radio as they don’t want to wait weeks for their favorite music to go on sale, but the simultaneous release on download stores such as iTunes would allow them to purchase music legally, while also benefiting the labels and artists from the increased sales that may otherwise have been lost to piracy networks.

[via Wired]