Universal Music's DRM-free Experiment Won't Solve Industry Woes

David Card | August 09, 2007, 08:13 PM

Yeah, DRM-protected downloads suck. But so does a who-knows-what's-available-where shotgun approach. RealNetworks is doing Universal artists but hasn't got EMI's DRM-free tracks. iTunes has EMI but not Universal. eMusic has the indies. Sheesh. No wonder Amazon's confused. Think of the what a buyer will face.

Preview: killing DRM won't exactly kick digital music into fifth gear:

I would buy more digital songs if I could copy or burn them without restrictions -- 24% of US online adults

I would buy more digital songs if I could play them on any device or computer no matter where I bought them -- 23%

But yes, almost twice as many of the best prospects -- digital music aficionados and freeloaders who, together, make up about 35% of online adults -- agree with the statements.

Colleague Mark Mulligan's take, with a Euro flavor, again.