Microsoft unveiled an API earlier this year for their Xbox Music service during the Microsoft Build conference with the announcement of the API release being announced earlier this week. With the opening of the API, third-party developers can now gain access to the service’s music catalog including over 38 million tracks and available in 23 different countries. In addition, developers can now search across the entire catalog to retrieve such attributes as artist name, album title, track metadata as well as track media. This also bring with it, access for developers to millions of 30-second MP3 music previews delivered as HTTP progressive downloads with the ability to stream full songs to Xbox Music Pass subscribers. Continue read here.