Sony BMG Will Bail on DRM

Label becomes fourth and final industry giant to ditch copy protection
By Sam Biddle,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 4, 2008 1:20 PM CST
Sony BMG Will Bail on DRM
Sony BMG has already experimented with DRM-free music in the past on a limited basis. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)   (Associated Press)

Sony BMG will begin offering at least part of its music catalogue online without restrictive digital rights management mechanisms, Business Week reports. The decision comes after the other three major labels—Warner, EMI, and Universal—decided to ditch DRM in 2007, challenging Apple's 80% share of the legal music downloads market.

Like Warner's, Sony BMG’s titles will be sold through Amazon’s digital music store, and can be freely burned and copied by buyers. Sony BMG has already experimented with DRM-free music sales for low-selling artists. "A lot of these tests have led people to believe that maybe this works," said a Sony BMG exec. (More Sony BMG stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X