Sony BMG has finally decided to quit the antiquated copyright protection software that made downloads of music a pain in the ass. With the last of the four big companies - Warner, EMI and Vivendi are already onboard - bidding adieu to digital rights management or DRM, 2008 could see the eventual replacement of this system. It is believed that Sony plans to sell its songs DRM-free sometimes in Q1 this year.
Of course the P2P softwares had spelt doom for music rights long ago. With everyone able to download every song of liking, it was a matter of time that the music companies accepted the hand that fate had dealt. Waking up to reality at least means that companies can now devise better ways to combat piracy, selling through social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, for instance.
Another factor that has necessitated the abandonment of DRM has been the dominance of Apple, which accounts for a lion’s share of legal download market. iPod being the most popular music player, and that too by some distance, has meant that Apple has imposed its whims on music labels, forcing them to accept the all songs at-one-price.
The details of Sony’s program are still not public but Justin Timberlake is supposed to kick off a fiesta of free music-downloads come February and Super Bowl. Sony BMG has been testing selling DRM-free songs for six months now and is ready to take it to the big stage.
This does not mean that DRM would be completely wiped off the face of planet. Instead some smaller services continue like Rhapsody and Ruckus will continue using the outmoded idea. Buy songs from these services and your song will stop once subscription period expires.
DRM-free market will enable the recording labels to ward off Apple’s monopoly by creating a competitor in Amazon.com. However, this is easier said than done. The competing PMPs would have to be pushed big time for this to happen. End of Digital Rights Management will be a cause celebre for users, who have long been harassed for following rules rather than being the other way around. Maybe utopia does exist! Video companies we are coming!
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