Verizon Wireless announced today that it is launching V CAST Music, which offers customers the ability to download music over the air directly to their wireless phones or straight to their Windows XP PCs and transfer digital music between the PC and the phone.

On January 16, 2006, V CAST Music from Verizon Wireless will give customers immediate access to songs from well-known artists at major music labels Warner Music Group, EMI Music, Universal and Sony/BMG, as well as indie provider The Orchard, and will let them play music on their wireless phones.

The company said more than one million songs will be available for purchase in the Verizon Wireless V CAST Music Store by spring.

V CAST Music combines the immediacy of over-the-air, full-music downloads with the ability to move a digital music collection between a Windows XP PC and a wireless phone. The service lets customers browse, preview, download and play high-quality digital music from their phones or online in the Verizon Wireless V CAST Music Store.

Customers purchasing songs from the V CAST Music Store from the phone get two copies of every song – one for the phone and one for the Windows XP PC. Purchases from the PC cost $0.99 and may be transferred via USB cable to the phone; purchases from the handset cost $1.99 for both copies.