Sony launches music-streaming service in U.S.

With MTV now focused less on music and more on hard-partying Italian-Americans from New Jersey beaches, Sony sees an opportunity to bring music back into the living room.

Sony plans to leverage its role as a top television and video game console manufacturer to promote a new music-streaming service with the unwieldy name of Music Unlimited, powered by Qriocity.

Bent on a quick international rollout, Sony was set to launch Music Unlimited on its Qriocity site in the United States, Australia and New Zealand at 6 p.m. ET (11 a.m. GMT) Thursday, company spokespeople said.

Music Unlimited opened to the United Kingdom and Ireland in December, and expanded to France, Germany, Italy and Spain in January. It adds musical offerings to Qriocity, which Sony launched last year as an on-demand video service.