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Music DRM in Critical Condition?

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the can't-happen-soon-enough dept.

ianare writes "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."

5 of 377 comments (clear)

  1. No Love for iTunes by swokm · · Score: 5, Funny

    That is hilarious. Universal refuses to sign a contract, and will do business with Apple strictly "at will".

    Oh the irony! The music giant that doesn't believe it should have to sign a contract just to get distributed.

  2. Re:Silly by swokm · · Score: 5, Funny

    And apparently regretted it ever since.

  3. Re:No Pirates by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Everyone should make a mental note to not download anything illegal until end of Jan 2008, or at least don't get caught doing so. Well, shoot. I was planning on getting caught somewhere in the Xmas timeframe, but I suppose I could put it off for a little bit longer....
  4. Re:Where are the stats from? by swokm · · Score: 5, Funny

    My thoughts exactly. To look at how it affects piracy rates, you need some way of measuring piracy. AFAIK they have nothing other than RSITDANTMUFG* numbers for what piracy levels may be. Come on, how can you ever hope to count downloads on the many P2P networks when the whole point of them is that they're decentralised?
    * RSITDANTMUFG = Random Stab In The Dark At Number That Make Us Feel Good Normally I'd agree completely, but aren't you starting to get the feeling that the people that run these giant media conglomerates just have a huge cigarbox in the boardroom for their cash? As in:

    Suit 1: (opens box) "Hey, there used to be more cash in here! I want more!"
    Suit 2: "Oh noes! Why did the box stop making cash?!"
    Suit 1: "Maybe someone TOOK OUR CASH!"
    Suit 2: "Took... you mean, like... pirates?"
    Suit 1: (gasp) "Pirates! Yes, must be pirates! We must kill the pirates!"
    Janitor: "Hey, don't you guys actually make money from helping new artists distribute their music to a wider audience?"
    Suit 1: "Huh? Who are you? Someone throw him out... Now, let's vote, who wants to kill pirates and so the box makes more cash?"
    Suits 2,3: "Yay! More cash!"
  5. Re:Another half-ass job by dintech · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll download a song, and if I don't like it, I'll go buy it.

    Wow, you're like the best consumer ever!