EMI-Apple pen deal to sell songs

CNN ^ | 4-02-2007 | AP

[Mr. Blonde]

EMI Group PLC on Monday announced a deal that will allow computer company Apple Inc. to sell the record company's songs online without copy protection software.

The agreement means that customers of Apple's iTunes store will soon be able to play downloaded songs by the Rolling Stones, Norah Jones, Coldplay and other top-selling artists without the copying restrictions once imposed by their label.

EMI said almost all of its catalog, excluding music by The Beatles, is included in the deal.

Singles and albums free from copy-protection software and with a higher sound quality will be offered as a premium product, the companies announced at a London news conference.

Consumers will pay a higher price for the premium singles, but the same price for albums either with or without the copy protection software.

The announcement follows calls by Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs earlier this year for the world's four major record companies, including EMI, to start selling songs online without copy-protection software.

The software, known as DRM, is designed to combat piracy by preventing unauthorized copying, but can make downloading music difficult for consumers.

[Mr. Blonde]

The article doesn't make it clear, but doesn't this mean that now people can buy EMI music from the ITMS and use it on any mp3 player? I hope this starts an avalanche of music companies getting on board.

[GQuagmire]

Still no Beatles?(Whatever)
Does anybody know if Zeppelin tunes are available?
Last I heard they aren't?(If I'm wrong,feel free to let me know)

[Mr. Blonde]

Zeppelin tunes aren't available. They don't want to sell the songs individually they think Zeppelin should be digested in whole albums.

[Constitution Day]

There's unlimited supply
And there is no reason why

[dfwgator]

Without the Beatles, this is a non-story.

[Mr. Blonde]

It is a really big story regardless. The first major label to agree to see their music without restrictions online. Afterall you still have the Rolling Stones music on there.

[Swordmaker]

iPod - iTunes PING!

DRM free songs fron EMI

[Swordmaker]

The article doesn't make it clear, but doesn't this mean that now people can buy EMI music from the ITMS and use it on any mp3 player?

yep, that's what it means.

[Mr. Blonde]

Thanks, that is what I thought. But the only thing they talk about is the Fairplay system and not how this is so much better than that. The way I read it the first time through was that it was still linking the music exlusively to iTunes and iPod.

[RosieCotton]

I misread the headline at first go...thought Apple was coming out with a pen. iPen. Ookay.

[martin_fierro]

	iPod
Send FReepmail if you want on/off iPing list WARNING: This is a high-volume Ping list. Turn your headphones down
The List of Ping Lists

[theFIRMbss]

>It is a really big story regardless...you still have the Rolling Stones music on there

Do old, dead people pay for and download enough to make this big news?

[Mr. Blonde]

I guess Coldplay would be the bigger draw, but I couldn't bring myself to respond with their music being a positive thing.

[Cyropaedia]

They could still do that on iTunes. Some songs can only be acquired if you buy the entire album. I'm sure some arrangement could be made if that is direction they want to go.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Why no Beatles, still? Anyone know?

[ShadowAce]

[JerseyHighlander]

The Beatles and Steve Jobs have had a 16 year ongoing feud over the “Apple” trademark.

The bad blood between these people can not be understated.

[antiRepublicrat]

So I guess Jobs’ anti-DRM speech wasn’t just a bunch of hot air.

[SamAdams76]

This is a huge story. 256 bit rate NON-DRM tracks for $1.29 is going to change everything. At that bit rate in AAC, even audiophiles will have a hard time distinguishing between an actual CD track. And because the track is not wrapped in DRM, you can use it however you wish. You can run it on unlimited computers, burn it to CD unlimited number of times, in other words, YOU OWN IT FOREVER!

When EMI puts their DRM-free tracks online next month on iTunes, it is going to revolutionize the music industry. iTunes sales (and iPods) are going to go through the roof.

Mark my words, within five years, you will not be able to buy a CD anywhere in a retail store. Be it Wal-Mart, Circuit City or wherever. Amazon.com might still sell them but that will be about it. Everybody will be downloading the music online.

DRM has been a major impediment in online sales and EMI is leading the way to a DRM-free marketplace. Very quickly (you will see), other labels will follow with their own DRM-free, higher bit-rate options.

And about The Beatles...don't worry, they will be online by the summer and they too will be DRM-free. You heard it here first.

[Izzy Dunne]

Without the Beatles, this is a non-story.

Wrong. This is a big deal.

1... Jobs said in January that he would like to sell music without DRM, but the labels wouldn't let him. Now one label will.
2... The folks who said that Jobs was blowing smoke were wrong.
3... If non-DRM'ed music sells (and the premium is $1.29 vs. $0.99), then the other labels will wake up and smell the dinero.
4... Microsoft's lame attempts at DRM are dead (Plays for Maybe).
5... Nobody will encode for WMA, and exclude themselves from 80% of the players out there.
6... I get to do what I want with the music that I buy. If I want to run that ABB song thru SndSampler just so I can learn that Dickey Betts lick, I can do it without some Hijack tool.

Besides, the Beatles will be there before the end of the year.