August 14, 2007

Google, Universal Music Partner To Sell DRM-Free Music

Link: Google, Universal Music Partner To Sell DRM-Free Music.

Looks like a hot summer (and autumn) for digital music and the Major Labels who seem to be finally waking up to what IS rather then what they WANT IT to be. Now this is what's going to happen - they will:
Step 1: drop DRM and sell music in the format that people actually want: MP3 (and other open formats - personally I'd love some good wav files!)
Step 2: bundle and combine music with SEARCH and Adds
Step 3: 'hide' the payments for music within another payments (access, ads etc), and license social networks and online communities to stream music on demand, without the usual DMCA compliant stuff
Step 4: share all kinds of revenue streams with all kinds of partners
Step 5: offer new deals to artists that will look like agency deals (well.. this will probably happen in parallel).

GOOD MORNING MAJOR RECORD LABELS. Listen to this soundtrack for immediate edification: Download alarm_clock_oldstyle.mp3  (courtesy of SoundSnap)

Aug 14, 2007 5:32:21 AM | DRM

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Finally... told you so;) - Universal Music Will Sell Songs Without Copy Protection - New York Times "Signaling another departure from the music industry’s longtime antipiracy strategy, the Universal Music Group will sell a significant portion of its catalog without the customary copy protection software for at least the next few months, the company announced yesterday...." Link: Universal Music Will Sell Songs Without Copy Protection - New York Times. and many other links It looks like my predictions will indeed hold up: DRM in digital music will be toast by the end of this year. Good to see someone is finally waking up at the Major Record Labels. In a nutshell, this is like the Berlin Wall Coming coming down. It took a loooooong time but when it happened it crumbled in a very short time, changing the landscape forever.
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Gerd Leonhard

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