Music DRM in Critical Condition?

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."

Comments

Re:Now is the chance

[cliffski]

I see. so you want the music companies to be proved 100% right, in that some people are just thieves, and will pirate anything they can if given the chance, which is why they want to use DRM. Well done, you have just proved the RIAA correct, and shown why DRM is needed.
Pirates on slashdot whine that DRM is making them pirate music, DRM gets removed, they pirate anyway. There is nothing anyone can possibly do to make the case for DRM better than that.

If you actually do think that artists should be paid for making music you enjoy (as they should), then you should pay for your music. if DRM was stopping you doing so before, you have no excuses now. Only vague hand waving about "teh evil MAFIAAAAA" can be used to justify taking copyrighted music now.

Re:Now is the chance

[cliffski]

"get over it"

said by someone who steals the content, not by the content maker, as always.