Bebo and Apple have partnered to offer music to UK customers directly through the social networking site, reports The Financial Times.

People will be able to buy music from any artist that puts songs on a Bebo profile. Music will also be available via iTunes. With 500,000 artists, from well-known ones to unsigned bands, represented on Bebo the deal is potentially a lucrative one for all involved. One aspect of the partnership could be that iTunes now has another outlet to highlight unknown bands.

The deal is meant to entice the 16-24 demographic that frequents Bebo away from piracy and get them paying for tunes by making it so easy. To encourage use Bebo will offer a free download each week, something Apple has been doing with iTunes for some time.

This is the first time Apple has linked iTunes with a social network.

How revenues from downloads will be split was not apparent.