Lala.com is back for another shot at music lovers. Like the previous version, its new model is built around the belief that access to free music streams will bring in users and generate enough revenue to make the strategy profitable. This belief fueled the previous-yet-short-lived version of Lala.com that offered unlimited streaming in hopes of making money from CD and download sales.

The new Lala.com (current in beta) has a few good aspects and one very unique feature. The most notable thing about the new site is the ability to purchased unlimited streams of a song for only $0.10. MP3s of songs and albums can be purchased as well, though selection is very limited right now. Once an MP3 is purchased at Lala.com, the user can stream it at no charge. Users get to add 50 song streams to their catalogs at no charge. Each track can be streamed once; further streaming, beyond the 50 free adds, require a $0.10 purchase.

The user's music library can be added to the user's Lala.com library and streamed free of charge. An application called Music Mover uploads the user's library (but does not recognize files with DRM). And because the service is web-based, a library can be accessed from any computer.

Also worth noting are the low prices (for the time being, at least). Death Cab For Cutie's new album, Narrow Stairs, goes for $7.49 at Lala.com (it costs $8.49 at Amazon.com). Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden, which regularly goes for between $5.99 and $6.99 depending on the store, can be purchased for $4.49.

The billion-dollar question facing the industry this decade is how to balance the stick and the carrot. Like the upcoming MySpace Music, Lala.com will test consumers' willingness to purchase when lured by free music. Free music an improvement over the previous carrot, 30-second samples, and a huge improvement from labels' use of the stick with downloaders and universities.

As Digital Audio Insider pointed out in his post that tipped me off to the new Lala.com site, the success of this type of service hinges on how people use subscription services. If they are content with streaming relatively few songs, Lala.com is a good option. But the few that use subscription services like volume and variety. Since a subscription's monthly fee is a recurring sunk cost that is out of sight (it's simply charged to a credit card), acquisition is less painful than buying $0.10 streams one at a time.

If the end goal is ownership of MP3s and CDs, Lala.com's strategy makes more sense than subscription services. Since Lala.com does not offer portability -- just online streams -- there is clear benefit to buying an MP3. With subscription services, one can opt for portability without upgrading to MP3.

If Lala.com has anything going for it it is its ease of use and thoughtful design. It's a wonderful place to sample, browse and listen, and is far more enjoyable than the new Napster MP3 store.

[music jobs] Boosey & Hawkes is looking for a Royalty Tracker.