Wow. We’re not even through January and DRM is knocking at heaven’s (hell’s?) door. The latest news comes today with Norway proclaiming that Apple’s DRM via the iPod and iTunes is illegal. France, Germany, and Finland joined with Norway in releasing the following statement:
“We believe consumers have a right to play material purchased online on a portable device of their own choice.”
Combine that news with what’s come out in the last few days:
New York Times: Record Labels Contemplate Unrestricted Digital Music
“As even digital music revenue growth falters because of rampant file-sharing by consumers, the major record labels are moving closer to releasing music on the Internet with no copying restrictions — a step they once vowed never to take.”
Reuters: Music industry divided over digital future
“With global music sales down for a seventh straight year, the talk at an annual industry meeting in Cannes, France, has become heated over how to develop digital sales against competition from the dreaded F word — free.”
Reuters: Independent record labels sign MySpace deal
“…The group announced the deal at the annual MidemNet music conference in France, saying it would allow thousands of independent labels across the world to sell digital downloads of their music from their MySpace pages and other sites… The downloads will be sold in the MP3 format, meaning they can be played on any portable music player including the iPod.”
It’s time. Here’s hoping the rumors are true…