Universal goes DRM-free

Universal goes DRM-free

Daniel Fleshbourne on 10 August 2007 - 11:25 · 20 comments & 9778 views

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Universal has announced that it is abandoning the practice of embedding digital rights management (DRM) software in its music. In a limited trial Universal will strip out the DRM from music sold via some retailers, including Google, Wal-Mart, and Amazon.com. Music sold on iTunes will still have DRM embedded however.

Universal said: "The experiment will run from August to January and analyse such factors as consumer demand, price sensitivity and piracy in regards to the availability of open MP3s."

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(1 reply) #1 bibutteryboy on 10 Aug 2007 - 11:37

let me guess. It's only going to cost you another 30 cents.

#1.1 excalpius on 10 Aug 2007 - 22:13

And if it's not on iTunes, the results will be skewed and worthless.

(1 reply) #2 +chaosblade on 10 Aug 2007 - 12:35

It's a good start. More companies need to move out of DRMology - As its proven to be useless.

#2.1 excalpius on 10 Aug 2007 - 22:09

It's even worse that that. DRM has proven to be WORSE than useless - a negative on sales. It has only served to make illegal music preferable, as DRM-free content is much more flexible and desirable for the end user than DRM protected content is.

#3 GP007 on 10 Aug 2007 - 13:12

Maybe they noticed how EMIs CD sales keep falling, but their digital sales finally started to pick up once they decided to offer DRM-free music online.

(2 replies) #4 +IceDogg on 10 Aug 2007 - 15:13

So how do we know which ones won't have DRM at the stores? I read the full story and I didn't see anything about how to tell.

#4.1 Galley on 10 Aug 2007 - 16:28

DRM-free tracks in the iTunes Store have a "plus" sign next to them. CDs do not have DRM.

#4.2 +IceDogg on 10 Aug 2007 - 20:36

Right. ok, I was confusing DRM with anti-copy like Sony famous rootkit. Thanks

(1 reply) #5 gadean on 10 Aug 2007 - 15:24

I like the move away from DRM. This trend is another step in the right direction!

#5.1 RAID 0 on 10 Aug 2007 - 17:34

Abso-freakin-loot-ly

(1 reply) #6 ThePitt on 10 Aug 2007 - 15:25

I wonder for how long...

#6.1 _Raven_ on 10 Aug 2007 - 18:33

Quote - (ThePitt said @ #6)

I wonder for how long...

August to January

(2 replies) #7 MrCobra on 10 Aug 2007 - 18:43

Quote -

Universal said: "The experiment will run from August to January and analyse such factors as consumer demand, price sensitivity and piracy in regards to the availability of open MP3s."

If I were going to pirate music it sure wouldn't be the low quality files that online stores have.

#7.1 theyarecomingforyou on 10 Aug 2007 - 23:05

Indeed. The biggest problem I have is not the DRM (though that's a serious disincentive) but the quality of the files. I want something as close as lossless as possible and 192k AAC files are not that. I would actually prefer lossless as an option because then at least I have a choice... otherwise CDs are guaranteed to be better quality. With the internet they should be pioneering new high-quality files that go beyond the limited CD specification and more towards the DVD-Audio specification - then we can have 24bit/96KHz and surround sound. Instead we get sub-par audio, less artwork / booklets (if any) and no way to demonstrate that we actually own the music.

The biggest problem with digital is that no-one can look through your CD collection and see what you're into... you have to go onto a computer and there isn't necessarily a centralised place for all the audio, especially if you use multiple stores. They should be giving extras with digital purchases, like ringtones, videos and exclusive content on websites. Where is the incentive to buy online when you get less?

#7.2 Angel Blue01 on 11 Aug 2007 - 13:30

I agree on DRM and quality. Those the only circumstances under which I will ever buy digital music.

(3 replies) #8 Samboini on 10 Aug 2007 - 19:48

Too bad I still only buy CD's. I always will until they stop doing them, as it is nonsensical not to have a physical backup; if I lose 40GB of music there is no way i'm downloading all of it again.

#8.1 TRC on 10 Aug 2007 - 21:02

If only they made some kind of CD that you could record on...

#8.2 excalpius on 10 Aug 2007 - 22:12

Or DVDs to record on...

Or cheap external large capacity hard drives...

#8.3 Angel Blue01 on 11 Aug 2007 - 13:31

DRM makes it hard to backup becuase the software coould prevent you from playing it again

#9 Havin_it on 11 Aug 2007 - 11:59

Any idea where UK punters can get a piece of the action? Amazon UK doesn't do downloads (as far as I can see) and I had no joy finding UK options for any of the other sites mentioned here and elsewhere. Rhapsody seems to be a possibility, but you need to install a client (Linux version? doubt it) to download stuff. And I still don't get where Google comes in...

Anyone know?

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