The End of DRM ?

[TaranT]

Record Labels Contemplate Unrestricted Digital Music

CANNES, France, Jan. 22 — 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.

Executives of several technology companies meeting here at Midem, the annual global trade fair for the music industry, said over the weekend that at least one of the four major record companies could move toward the sale of unrestricted digital files in the MP3 format within months.

Most independent record labels already sell tracks digitally compressed in the MP3 format, which can be downloaded, e-mailed or copied to computers, cellphones, portable music players and compact discs without limit.

The independents see providing songs in MP3 partly as a way of generating publicity that could lead to future sales.

For the major recording companies, however, selling in the MP3 format would be a capitulation to the power of the Internet, which has destroyed their control over the worldwide distribution of music.

source, NY Times

[Otohiko]

All I can say is, I wish?

Maybe they'll get a clue from the independents and start offering better distribution for better / more niche varieties of music which in the long run could get them the loyalty, praise and cash of customers?

And let's not forget treating artists better. Assuming they're ready to surrender to consumers, they should be willing to open up a re-evaluation of how to approach artists and creative rights.

[R-A-N-M-A]

So ends the days of millionaire record execs. However so ends the days of artists ever making a cent off of anything other than touring.

[Willen]

Bah, I'd wish that they'd use AAC or FLAC (like Pearl Jam does for their bootlegs). Either alone or as an alternative to MP3s.

Of course, this would mean a big shakeup of the entire music recording industry. Big established artists who have a large fanbase can easily make a decent living off legitimate downloads and touring in addition to traditional CD sales. Newer artists may have a harder time since they are the ones who are usually at the mercy of the recording labels for promotion of their music.

Ultimately, what would really revive the music industry is not disposing of DRM or even expanding online purchasing of music. It's making music that is worth listening to.

[Mr. Anobe]

So ends the days of artists ever making a cent off of anything other than touring.

Not exactly, it was already "ended" when the recording industry starts suing fans just by downloading music...a long time ago. So, it's pretty much "dead" to them, so to speak. Besides, these DRMs is pretty much weak that anybody with a decent program(s) can bypass them so easily, and it's not even funny.

[Daniel_BMS]

The music industry has a lot of thinking to do. They no longer make most of their sales off of CD's anymore so they are exploring every creative option they can find.

Besides, these DRMs is pretty much weak that anybody with a decent program(s) can bypass them so easily, and it's not even funny.

I've been meaning to research that. OK if I download a U2 music video from iTunes how do I copy that as an unrestricted mpeg?

[TaranT]

Apple: Record Labels Should Drop DRM

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple Inc. indicated it would open its iTunes store to other portable players besides its ubiquitous iPod if the world's major record labels abandoned the anti-piracy technology that serves as the industry's security blanket.

Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, made the case for abolishing the protections known as "Digital Rights Management," or DRM, in an open letter posted Tuesday on the Cupertino-based company's Web site. He also explained why Apple had decided against licensing its own DRM technology, known as "FairPlay," as an alternative method for making iTunes accessible to all portable players....

source

[CelticWhisper]

The music industry has a lot of thinking to do. They no longer make most of their sales off of CD's anymore so they are exploring every creative option they can find.

Besides, these DRMs is pretty much weak that anybody with a decent program(s) can bypass them so easily, and it's not even funny.

I've been meaning to research that. OK if I download a U2 music video from iTunes how do I copy that as an unrestricted mpeg?

Well, the long way would be to use something like Snapz or Camtasia and record the screen while the video is playing. A crude workaround at best.

Thing about circumventing DRM is that so far, with the exception of DVD CSS, all the hacks have been workarounds or implementation exploits. Nobody has actually successfully broken the encryption applied to the files yet, as it is pretty strong. What they do is wait for a vulnerability during the decryption and playback process. The principle is that if you can see or hear it, you can copy it, because at some point it has to be decrypted and converted to analog. It's at that point that the circumvention (also known as Fair Use Enforcement) tools do their work, operating on the exposed analog stream.

Also, the notion that the end of DRM is the end of musicians being able to make money on CD sales is pure BS. It may be the end of musicians backed by big record companies being able to profit from sales, but plenty of independent record labels and services like eMusic, Magnatune, or Audio Lunchbox already have much more equitable deals struck with their musicians.

Of course, the major record companies (Sony, EMI, Warner, Universal, BMG) are going to blame piracy and use any justification possible for jacking up prices the same way they always have. To a lot of folks (mostly the technically-inclined a la Slashdot) it doesn't matter, since they/I/we just avoid the corporate stuff anyway and support the indies. But not the West Indies. Okay, okay, I'm sorry, stop throwing tomatoes at me. The last time I even considered touching, let alone buying something from one of the big labels was when I wanted to do an AMV for an Evanescence song after that whole legal debacle. Just to spite them and send a nice, big, digital middle finger their way. Wouldn't have posted it here, as I didn't want the site to get taken down and torrent trackers are better for wide distribution anyway, but...yeah. And I don't even like Evanescence.

So anyway, I welcome the end of DRM. It's a broken technology-you can't give someone a ciphertext and a key and expect them to only be able to decrypt on your terms. It flat-out doesn't work. DRM only hurts the paying customers as pirates will always find ways around it anyway. Getting rid of it is good for competition, good for the customer, good for everyone but the rich corporate fat-cat who may have to settle for only 2 BMWs this year instead of 3. Cry me a river, Mitch Bainwol. We won't be crying with you.

[downwithpants]

EMI in talks to sell unprotected MP3s
i was unconvinced on why labels would want to sell downloads without DRM, but in this article its suggested that mp3 sales would increase and DRM doesn't help anyways because its so easily circumvented.

i might be more inclined to buy an mp3 without DRM than a DRMed download, but i still prefer buying CDs.

[Tono_Fyr]

Bah, I'd wish that they'd use AAC or FLAC (like Pearl Jam does for their bootlegs). Either alone or as an alternative to MP3s.

Of course, this would mean a big shakeup of the entire music recording industry. Big established artists who have a large fanbase can easily make a decent living off legitimate downloads and touring in addition to traditional CD sales. Newer artists may have a harder time since they are the ones who are usually at the mercy of the recording labels for promotion of their music.

Ultimately, what would really revive the music industry is not disposing of DRM or even expanding online purchasing of music. It's making music that is worth listening to.

The point is that the smaller, newer artists would be on better footing. They'd be more likely to be heard, and there's a higher chance of them actually getting around. Hence why most independent musicians will put their stuff online for free, only to just get their names out there, and get people listening to their music.

I know I plan on having whatever I end up recording with a band (whenever that finally happens) on the internet as a means for mass promotion with a tiny budget.