Akon releasing new albums via app

Hip-hop star Akon is releasing his new album project via a cell phone app.

The singer has put together four new records, marking his first new material in seven years, and he has now revealed he is shunning traditional sales methods by giving his music away for free.

Akon's four albums will be available to stream via an app called Stadium, also the title of the four-record project, which will be available for fans to download.

The scheme will be funded via advertising, and fans will be encouraged to share the app with friends to earn credits to buy products such as ringtones and gain access to more songs.

Akon is convinced his app will help solve the problems facing the music industry and give artists the chance to make more money than they currently bring in through streaming services such as Spotify.

"It's going to definitely regenerate the music business," he tells the Associated Press. "Just think about it. Why give someone like Spotify or Pandora 99.9 per cent of what should go in your pocket? It doesn't make sense."