Today it has hit the news that EMI has agreed to remove digital locks from its tracks which will now be sold on iTunes and other download websites.
Well it’s not completely black and white. How it is going to work according to the
BBC is that they are going to continue selling DRM locked tracks for the usual 79p. But now they are going to introduce the downloading of unlocked tracks is with a “premium” format for 99p which is a higher bit rate (better quality. 256kbps compared to the DRM tracks which are 128kbps). Albums will be sold without DRM at the usual price.
Now the consumers have a major record label unlocking its tracks it will start to put pressure on the other labels to follow their example.
Is this to the end to the evil that is DRM. Well not quite… They are still men in suits with moths in their wallets who will want to try to keep DRM as they think it reduces piracy and increases their profits. But DRM is actually driving people to download via illegal means.
This is how it works:
Piracy is always going to be around and there is very little anyone can do about it other than using laws and policing which is hard to do with the internet’s infostructure. The music needs to keep it’s customer base happy and in return they will give them their money. Open format music is the way forward as all the law abiding citizens and the people who have respect for the artists and the music will be more than happy to pay money for the music they want to listen to. DRM pushed us back as it annoyed customers and drove people to other less legitimate sources.
DRM was a cancer to the downloading world. EMI and Apple have made a major breakthrough on a potential cure. Lets just hope it encourages the other labels to remove the locks off, what we should have the right to listen to on any device we see fit.