WebProNews » DRM free http://www.webpronews.com Breaking News in Tech, Search, Social, & Business Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:32:37 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Sony BMG Becomes Last Major Label to Drop DRM http://www.webpronews.com/sony-bmg-becomes-last-major-label-to-drop-drm-2008-01 http://www.webpronews.com/sony-bmg-becomes-last-major-label-to-drop-drm-2008-01#comments Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:57:01 +0000 Bruce Houghton http://www.webpronews.com/?p=43051 BusinessWeek is reporting and our sources confirm that Sony BMG will offer at least part of its catalog available DRM free in the first quarter of the year making it the]]> BusinessWeek is reporting and our sources confirm that Sony BMG will offer at least part of its catalog available DRM free in the first quarter of the year making it the last and final major label group to drop copy restrictions on downloads.

SonybmgA broad "experiment" is in the final planning stages, but details of some of Sony BMG’s efforts are already emerging. Justin Timberlake, who records for Sony’s Jive and other artists from the merged label group will be participating in a Super Bowl promotion with Pepsi on Feb. 3 as part of a free distribution of 1 billion songs through Amazon’s popular DRM-free download service.

Sony has already been experimenting with DRM-free song giveaways for developing artists for the last six months. "A lot of these tests have led people to believe that maybe this works," said a Sony BMG executive who asked not to be identified.

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]]> http://www.webpronews.com/sony-bmg-becomes-last-major-label-to-drop-drm-2008-01/feed 0 Universal DRM Free Music Speeding Up http://www.webpronews.com/universal-drm-free-music-speeding-up-2007-11 http://www.webpronews.com/universal-drm-free-music-speeding-up-2007-11#comments Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:52:15 +0000 Bruce Houghton http://www.webpronews.com/?p=42292 The slow march towards universal DRM free music appears about to become a sprint to the finish line. 

Recent developments pushing Sony BMG, WMG and other holdouts to reconsider their protectionist positions include:

]]> The slow march towards universal DRM free music appears about to become a sprint to the finish line. 

Recent developments pushing Sony BMG, WMG and other holdouts to reconsider their protectionist positions include:

  • Initial sales and kudos from the media and consumers for Amazon’s all mp3 store

  • Rumors that we’ve been hearing for weeks of a billion (yes that’s a b) track giveaway involving Pepsi and the Amazon mp3 store to be unveiled during the Super BowlDrm_anti_wall

  • Rumors that WalMart.com is demanding that all labels deliver tracks as DRM free mp3′s or risk being booted off the site

  • Solid digital sales increases at EMI since going DRM free

  • Signs that the Universal "experiment" is now a permanent policy shift

  • An increasing number of hold-out labels including most recently Hollywood experimenting with DRM free sales

  • Rumors that Sony BMG is readying an mp3 experiment and that WMG is finally allowing the possibility to be be openly discussed

  • A more rapid than expected decline in physical CD sales

  • Increased popularity of The Zune and other players beyond the iPod

Just a week ago I asked "Has The March To DRM Free Stalled?" It appears that I should have trusted my own December ’06 prediction that 2007 would be the breakthrough year for DRM free music.

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]]> http://www.webpronews.com/universal-drm-free-music-speeding-up-2007-11/feed 0 Has the DRM Free Experiment Failed? http://www.webpronews.com/has-the-drm-free-experiment-failed-2007-11 http://www.webpronews.com/has-the-drm-free-experiment-failed-2007-11#comments Mon, 19 Nov 2007 13:48:05 +0000 Bruce Houghton http://www.webpronews.com/?p=42025 The last year has been filled with announcement after announcement marking the end of DRM.  DRM-free pioneer eMusic was thriving. 

EMI dropped DRM across its entire catalog.]]> The last year has been filled with announcement after announcement marking the end of DRM.  DRM-free pioneer eMusic was thriving. 

EMI dropped DRM across its entire catalog. Drm_anti_wall Indie after indie dropped. Universal launched and then expanded a DRM free "experiment" that now feels like  permannt policy shift. Amazon launched a DRM free mp3 store to great reviews and customer reaction.

But in the last 6 weeks, almost nothing new…Neither Sony BMG nor the Warner Music Group are even hinting that they will be dropping DRM anytime soon. 

Has the DRM free experiment failed?

The numbers are early and sketchy. Perhaps the holdouts are taking a wait and see attitude? But without universal adoption, you have confused consumers and digital providers uncertain which path to follow.

Creativezenvplus Every day that Sony BMG and WMG wait to start selling the same DRM free product that they already offer on CD available as downloads, is another day that consumer attitudes and habits become entrenched in a model that spells the end of the major labels. Going DRM free may not be the answer all of the label’s woes, but it regains consumer trust and enables the innovation that  could provide a path forward.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  Is the march to DRM Free stalled?  What will happen next? 

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