I Can't Support Anyone in the Music Industry

Peter Sargent | June 22, 2005, 04:32 PM

Man. And I thought the music labels were clueless. But the fact is the media player and device providers have become just as guilty of alienating music lovers as the content providers.

As I sit here blogging, I'm listening to the latest Foo Fighters album - In Your Honor. Great stuff, by the way (more on this later).

The problem is that I can't listen to my new CD via iTunes (only Windows Media). As a loyal disciple to the iPod craze, my goal is to listen to Dave Grohl on my commute home, as well as in the office. Fair enough, right? I mean, I did PAY for the CD!

But Sony's new DRM prevents me from transferring the music files to Apple's AAC format. So, it appears that I cannot listen to the Foo Fighters on my Mini.

But WAIT. Here’s where things get REALLY STUPID. Sony offers a crack for their own DRM! Just email an inquiry as prompted off of the CD, and Sony (well, their DRM technology provider, really) will tell you how to crack it.

By the way, let me spare you the trouble:
1) Copy the WMA files off of the original CD on to your PC
2) Burn those WMA files to a new CD
3) Rip those now-unprotected files from the copied CD via iTunes

So the most obvious question is…what’s the freakin’ point?? While this method might deter the casual music listener from bothering to “steal” music, we loyal iPod owners understand that our music collection must go with us.

So…whom do we blame for this? Well, it’s easy to point the finger at DRM measures. But this is only partially about DRM. This is every bit as much about the never-ending battle for file format and media player dominance.

Oh…and another thing. It’s true that I could buy the digital album direct from iTunes for $17.99. But, I bought the CD at a Virgin Megastore for $11.99. Ugh!

Bottom line, it makes it impossible for me to back any side of this debacle of an industry.

By the way, anyone have a CD burner I can borrow???

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On a lighter note, a friend of mine offered this review of Foo Fighter’s dual-CD: “In Your Honor”:

“The first 3 songs of the first, heavier disk are exactly what you want of rock. It's unbelievably good rock. By the middle of the disk, the mosh instinct kicks in; you'll want to pick up heavy objects and throw them out of windows. Then you'll want to run along the edge of skyscrapers, dive backwards, and punch holes in the asphalt. But there's also a classic rock sway as well as an alt rock echo that keeps the overall sound grounded."

"The second, acoustic disk is so melodic and contemplative. I can't help myself from becoming introspective when I listen to this disk. It's not a beach-house/lounge on a deck/bbq acoustic disk. It's got a country, rockstride bluesiness that requires a dash of loneliness to appreciate it. I love this side right now, but I'm going to absolutely treasure it in late Autumn.” Thanks, man!

- Peter Sargent (psargent@jupitermedia.com)