Zunior.com is a Canadian online independent record label

Independent record label

An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...

 and music store, started by Dave Ullrich

Dave Ullrich

Dave Ullrich is a Canadian musician and entrepreneur.He was the drummer of the band The Inbreds in the 1990s. Following the band's breakup, he formed the independent record label Zunior Records, Canada's first online-only label. "Zunior" is Ullrich's childhood nickname.In 2005, Ullrich started a...

, formerly of The Inbreds

The Inbreds

The Inbreds were a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1992. Originally from Kingston, Ontario, Canada the band relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1996. Three of the four albums released during the band's existence reached number one on the Canadian national university charts, and the band...

, in 2004

2004 in music

See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....

.

The store primarily sells digital music from independent artists, in MP3

MP3

MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...

 format without digital rights management

Digital rights management

Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...

 protection. Most albums are sold at a price of $

Canadian dollar

The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...

8.88 per album, although discounted sale prices are also available on some releases. Customers also have the option of downloading music files in a lossless format (FLAC

FLAC

FLAC is a codec which allows digital audio to be losslessly compressed such that file size is reduced without any information being lost...

) at a slightly higher price. The architecture of the Zunior technology is maintained by Ullrich's business partner Terry Scott.

Zunior releases are normally also released in conventional CD format on other independent labels, although some albums are also released in download-only format exclusively from Zunior. Some artists, including Rheostatics

Rheostatics

Rheostatics was a Genie Award-winning Canadian indie rock band, active from 1980 to 2007.Although they had only one Top 40 hit, "Claire" in 1995, they were simultaneously one of Canada's most influential and unconventional rock bands, a band whose eclectic take on pop and rock music has been...

 and Wooden Stars

Wooden Stars

Wooden Stars are a Canadian indie rock band formed in the 1990s. The band, from Ottawa, consists of vocalist and guitarist Julien Beillard, guitarist Mike Feuerstack, bassists Josh Latour and Mathieu Beillard, and drummer Andrew McCormack.-Style:...

, have also made previously released albums available for download through Zunior.

Each month, Zunior also releases a free sampler compilation of songs by artists with releases available for purchase on the site. The service also frequently releases exclusive compilation album

Compilation album

A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...

s, including the Rheostatics tribute album The Secret Sessions

The Secret Sessions

The Secret Sessions is a tribute album to Canadian indie rock band Rheostatics, released March 16, 2007 through the web label Zunior. The album was released to coincide with the band's farewell show scheduled for March 30, and features Canadian indie rock artists performing Rheostatics songs...

and a series of annual Christmas

Christmas

Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...

-themed albums, as fundraising benefits for Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank

Daily Bread Food Bank

The Daily Bread Food Bank is a non-denominational Canadian charity organisation that strives to end hunger in urban communities. The organisation is based in Toronto, Ontario, and feeds thousands of low income people a year. They also provide valuable resources to the same demographic in order to...

.

Zunior also distributes audio recordings of Stuart MacLean's Vinyl Cafe

The Vinyl Cafe

The Vinyl Cafe is an hour-long radio variety show hosted by Stuart McLean and broadcast on CBC radio, BBC Radio 7 and on several U.S. public radio stations. It airs on Sunday at noon on Radio One and Saturday at 9 a.m...

books, as well as music-related ebooks.