MTV and Microsoft are set to open digital music store Urge on Wednesday, staging a battlefield for a potential war with Apple’s iTunes.

Urge will offer 2 million songs for 99 cents each, and full albums for $9.95. Though the song and album costs will match iTunes’ pricing, Urge will offer monthly subscription packages, a payment model Apple has shunned.

The new service will not be compatible with Apple computers or the extremely popular iPod music players, however. Apple can restrict the compatibility of its products and reportedly has chosen to shut out Urge, a move expected to restrict Urge’s potential in the marketplace. And despite MTV inventing the domestic music video marketplace, videos will not be offered until later this year.