10 Aug 2007
Music DRM in Critical Condition?

What's going to be interesting is to see what all these subscription services do with their customers when their either go away entirely or start selling the songs outright. My guess is that there'll be more than a few pissed off people with a few gig each of dead files and no satisfaction forthcoming. But we'll see. DRM is effectively dead.

Universal Music Group, the largest music company on the planet, has announced that the company is going to sell DRM-free music. The test will see UMG offering a portion of its catalog — primarily its most popular content — sold without DRM between August 21 and January 31 of next year. The format will be MP3, and songs will sell for 99 each, with the bitrate to be determined by the stores in question. RealNetwork's Rhapsody service will offer 256kbps tracks, the company said in a separate statement. January 31 is likely more of a fire escape than an end date. If UMG doesn't like what they're seeing, they'll pull the plug. UMG says that it wants to watch how DRM-free music affects piracy rates.

(link) [Slashdot]

06:06 /Copywrongs | 0 comments | permanent link