EMI Pondering DRM-free Music with MP3s

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.suntimes.com/technology/250463,emi020907.article

"Music company EMI Group PLC -- home of The Rolling Stones and Coldplay -- has been talking with online retailers about possibly selling its entire digital music catalog in MP3 format without copy protection, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing numerous people familiar with the matter. The MP3 format, which can be freely copied and played on virtually any device, would allow consumers to play music purchased from any online store on any digital music device...According to the people familiar with the matter, London-based EMI asked the retailers to submit proposals by Thursday telling the company what size advance payments they would offer in exchange for the right to sell EMI's music as MP3s, the Journal reported."

Very interesting news, and I hope this puts Steve Jobs' comments into perspective - he may have been among the first to make public comments about DRM-free music, but there were already behind-the-scenes meetings taking place to take steps forward. Don't get me wrong - it's great that Steve Jobs came out and said what he did and hopefully it will put pressure on the music companies - but it's completely inaccurate to give him credit for starting this movement (which is something the fanboys seem to be doing a lot of lately). Will 2007 be the year of DRM free music being sold? I sure hope so. I also hope the MP3s are 256 kbps in quality, and not some 128 kbps junk that will make me keep only buying CDs.

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.suntimes.com/technology/250463,emi020907.article

"Music company EMI Group PLC -- home of The Rolling Stones and Coldplay -- has been talking with online retailers about possibly selling its entire digital music catalog in MP3 format without copy protection, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing numerous people familiar with the matter. The MP3 format, which can be freely copied and played on virtually any device, would allow consumers to play music purchased from any online store on any digital music device...According to the people familiar with the matter, London-based EMI asked the retailers to submit proposals by Thursday telling the company what size advance payments they would offer in exchange for the right to sell EMI's music as MP3s, the Journal reported."

Very interesting news, and I hope this puts Steve Jobs' comments into perspective - he may have been among the first to make public comments about DRM-free music, but there were already behind-the-scenes meetings taking place to take steps forward. Don't get me wrong - it's great that Steve Jobs came out and said what he did and hopefully it will put pressure on the music companies - but it's completely inaccurate to give him credit for starting this movement (which is something the fanboys seem to be doing a lot of lately). Will 2007 be the year of DRM free music being sold? I sure hope so. I also hope the MP3s are 256 kbps in quality, and not some 128 kbps junk that will make me keep only buying CDs.

[byteme]

Not to worry. There are always other fanboys that are quick to discredit anything Jobs does to maintain order and balance. No doubt that talk didn't originate with Jobs but I don't see others with the balls to do it out in the open rather than chatting about it over danish and cappucino in a Redmond conference room. On Bill's dime of course.

[David Tucker]

Ah, always good to see a Mac-fanatic so blinded by the brilliance of Jobs that they miss the world around them.

Guess what...Gates said nearly the same thing publically about 2 months ago. And it had about as much significance as Jobs saying it.

[byteme]

Originally Posted by Codefox

Ah, always good to see a Mac-fanatic so blinded by the brilliance of Jobs that they miss the world around them.

Guess what...Gates said nearly the same thing publically about 2 months ago. And it had about as much significance as Jobs saying it.

Good to hear. Point me to the article where Gates said this. Didn't mention anything about brilliance nor did I say the concept originated with him but feel free to use the straw man again. Jason could have easily worded his response in a non inflammatory manner.

[David Tucker]

Originally Posted by byteme

Good to hear. Point me to the article where Gates said this. Didn't mention anything about brilliance nor did I say the concept originated with him but feel free to use the straw man again. Jason could have easily worded his response in a non inflammatory manner.

Sorry, I just get really tired of everyone attributing everything in the world to Jobs When the Zune Phone finally comes out, MS will be accused of copying Apple. Regardless of the fact that the Zune Phone was announced a good 6 months ago now.

Here on Dec 15.

Gates said that no one is satisfied with the current state of DRM, which “causes too much pain for legitmate buyers” while trying to distinguish between legal and illegal uses. He says no one has done it right, yet. There are “huge problems” with DRM, he says, and “we need more flexible models, such as the ability to “buy an artist out for life” (not sure what he means). He also criticized DRM schemes that try to install intelligence in each copy so that it is device specific.
His short term advice: “People should just buy a cd and rip it. You are legal then.”

Jobs has the power to make things happen right now. He's on the board of directors for Disney. If he wants to prove he means what he says...he needs to tell Disney's board to sell movies DRM free.

[byteme]

Thanks for the link. Not sure it's the same thing though. One proposes eliminating DRM while the other feels it needs to be simplified. There has to be a better way to protect intellectual property without making the consumer pay for the "sins of our father"