Replies

Without the Beatles, this is a non-story.

5 posted on 04/02/2007 8:57:48 AM PDT by dfwgator (The University of Florida - Championship U)

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.

6 posted on 04/02/2007 8:59:30 AM PDT by Mr. Blonde (Like I always say, there's no "I" in team. There's a "me" though, if you jumble it up.)

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.

19 posted on 04/02/2007 3:14:35 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (Today I officially outlive Steve Irwin)

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.

20 posted on 04/02/2007 5:21:43 PM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)

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