January 5 - 9:10pm EST   Apple has allegedly backed away from its strict pricing policies for iTunes songs, although the same negotiations could also mean that music from the big three labels could soon be DRM-free, according to CNET News. A source suggests that the tracks will fall into three pricing categories, including a higher-priced level for hit songs, which many media companies have pushed for. The shift could lead to higher profits for sales of popular singles. [full story]

September 1 - 3:30pm EDT   Users who download music from German retailer Saturn's online music store will now be able to share and use their purchased music without the usual restrictions associated with Digital Rights Management (DRM). The company made the announcement on Monday, in the process becoming the first European reseller to offer all of the songs in Universal Music Entertainment library DRM-free. Universal itself is pushing for the move to DRM-free files, with the recent launch of its LostTunes music store. [full story]

July 22 - 4:20pm EDT   Sky, a UK-based TV, Internet and phone provider, is reported to soon start offering a subscription-based music download service in collaboration with Universal Music. Unlike other similar services, the downloaded music will be DRM-free, meaning users can freely copy it, share it, burn CDs and play it on all their devices. Sky's service, which the company claims will be the world's first, will initially offer access to hundreds of thousands of songs. [full story]