EMI releases DRM-free music

[Diamond.G]

http://www.emigroup.com/Press/2007/press18.htm

Above is the press release.


Discuss...

 

[Zaphod]

A step in the right direction. I hope it pays off for them in terms of sales and revenue (i.e. that it vindicates a DRM-free business model).

 

[Diamond.G]

Listening to the "Live" stream. Bitrate for the DRM-free music is 256kbps AAC. Double that of DRM'ed AAC.


EDIT: It seems like there are more studio's are following suit!!! Job's claims that half of the itunes library will be drm-free by the end of the year.

 

[Sxotty]

This is great news, now I want a place that is easy to buy them. No hassle no monthly subscription, no annoying client. I want to purchase them at Amazon or wherever and just add to cart and check out with nothing to install on my pc. Then I will be happy and will purchase from them. Though of course only the bands that cannot make a decent full album (most apparently) which I would still enjoy for cover art etc...

 

[Zaphod]

I want to purchase them at Amazon or wherever and just add to cart and check out with nothing to install on my pc. Then I will be happy and will purchase from them.

They (EMI) said that while iTunes is the first partner, they'll 'offer their product range to anyone'. Sounded like other stores might follow.

 

[pascal]

Good news. Hope others will follow :smile:

 

[Squeak]

So let me get this straight.. this means no copy protection at all?!?

It just seems too incredible to me that such a greedy monster as the music biz can figure out on their own, without being put almost out of business, that they will never be able to prevent people from copying and sharing music, no matter what DRM sh't they come up with.

 

[Zaphod]

So let me get this straight.. this means no copy protection at all?!?

Yes.

They might use watermarking, though.

 

[Frank]

I think half the reason might simply be Steve Jobs. He has quite the ego, likes to make high-impact decisions and has the clout needed to do so.

After the fiasco a few months ago, where everyone fell all over him, saying that "he should shut up about copy protection, because he is one of the worst offenders and won't change anyway", he showed everyone.

 

[Sxotty]

I think half the reason might simply be Steve Jobs. He has quite the ego, likes to make high-impact decisions and has the clout needed to do so.

After the fiasco a few months ago, where everyone fell all over him, saying that "he should shut up about copy protection, because he is one of the worst offenders and won't change anyway", he showed everyone.

He did did he? I failed to notice. Oh right he was standing around looking smug when EMI made the press release.

 

[Pete]

Well, it's still AAC. How many other players do AAC?

But a great, great step. Now if they can lock in this price for however long iTunes has managed to hold onto 99 cents....

Edit: Thanks, Tim. Sweet.

 

[Tim Murray]

Well, it's still AAC. How many other players do AAC?

But a great, great step. Now if they can lock in this price for however long iTunes has managed to hold onto 99 cents....

Lots. The vast majority at this point, I think.

 

[pascal]

http://www.tgdaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31519

Redmond (WA) - Microsoft is jumping on the DRM-free music bandwagon and will be offering unprotected EMI songs in its Zune Marketplace. Jason Reindorp, Zune’s head of marketing, announced the move, but didn’t add any specific pricing or timeline. He added that Microsoft has been advocating DRM-free music for quite a while.

 

[Skrying]

If Microsoft has then I would be a bit surprised, but I would not be surprised if they have and no one has noticed. Frankly the only reason Jobs could have any impact on this is because he's a pop culture icon, Apple is for that matter.

 

[Blazkowicz]

now that DRM is a failure, is there any chance the insane HDCP restrictions will be removed on the video side?

 

[pascal]

I hope so. Maybe a domino effect.

I am not going to buy a new LCD monitor any time soon.