Sony BMG to drop copy protection for downloads

Hoping to boost digital sales, Sony BMG finally will join EMI, Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group in dropping DRM.

The story "Sony BMG to drop copy protection for downloads" published January 7, 2008 at 5:28 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

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[Fat Drunk and Stupid]

One Hit Wonders

I think they will find that removing DRM has no impact on sales.<br /><br />It's true that consumers are irritated by cumbersome DRM and making their albums available in DRM-free MP3 format is a good move.<br /><br />Unless I'm mistaken, one problem here is that Sony is selling digital copies of entire albums. Based on past pricing, I assume the digital copy will cost about the same as physical media.<br /><br />Consumers will be given the choice of buying a physical CD or digital download. It's easy to rip your own CDs. I can't see many people going to a store to buy an album and opting for the download.<br /><br />The other problem is that most people only want to buy the songs that they like. Nobody likes buying an album with one great song, two good songs and five terrible songs. The only reason people use to buy terrible songs was they didn't have a choice. <br /><br />Maybe the reason record companies are selling less music is because people aren't buying the terrible songs any more.<br /><br />I'll never forget buying the Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion two disc album... three songs worth buying across two discs? You bastards.

[bruceslog]

money talks

Of course their sales were down 15%.<br />When Sony and others began telling me what I could do with the music I bought, and started suing it's customers, I, and many, many others, stopped buying their products. I haven't purchased a music CD in years because of the way these companies have been behaving.<br />If the lawsuits stop, I may begin buying CD's again. <br />But I won't buy any Sony products at all. I do not trust a company that has repeatedly installed stealth software onto people's computers, without permission or notification, from that companies music CD's and software. <br /><br />And this mentality that some companies have been using lately claiming that I do not own the hardware or software that I buy, or that I give up rights to my ownership because I buy their hardware or install their software, that had better stop too. I almost bought a new LexMark printer I found on sale recently, until I read the terms about the ink cartridges that stated that I had to return the ink cartridge to LexMark alone, and that I could not refill it, or trade it in for a refill, anywhere else.<br />Bull crap. I did not buy the printer.<br />LexMark has already been pushing their luck with cartridges that stop working when they still have 3/4 of the ink left in them.<br />What's next ? When I buy a Chevy automobile, I can only take it to a Chevy dealership to have it repaired ?<br />Bull Crap.

[nyabdns]

When

When they start charging a reasonable price I might start buying music again, but downloading music is not worth what they are charging. At twenty five cents a song I might consider it, at ninety nine cents, forget about it.

[ggrs34]

Apple Introduced DRM

Apple were more than happy to make money from DRM tracks for years, while others chose another path. Apple's just playing catch-up as usual, calling for it to be dumped.

[Bob Thedino]

Apple Introduced DRM

It was not Apple's idea to introduce DRM - Apple was forced to use DRM by the music companies. This was explained in the third paragraph of the document that calls for DRM to be abandoned (<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/" target="_newWindow">http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/</a>).