DRM-free music stalls

Users may have to wait a bit longer for DRM-free music from the major, despite Apple CEO Steve Jobs' recent call for DRM-free music. EMI has reportedly pulled out of negotiations with online music labels to provide DRM-free music, according to Bloomberg News. The negotiations, with online retailers including Microsoft, stalled over the size of advance payment, the report said. EMI, the only major label willing to explore DRM-free music, demanded an upfront payment to compensate for its risk in releasing the music without software that prevents copying. The music retailers, rejecting the initial offer, countered with a lower offer; however, negotiations stalled, according to the report. Online music retailers such as Real and Yahoo have backed Jobs' call for DRM-free music in an effort to help challenge Apple's industry-leading iTunes.

Earlier this month some executives from the music industry made it clear that while they may not stick with digital rights management (DRM) as a means to protect their digital catalogs, they are not willing to abandon copy protection altogether as requested by Apple's CEO. Warner Music Group execs rejected the concept of abandoning digital rights management (DRM).

by MacNN Staff