Apple Takes Steps Towards Being DRM-Free

Apple has released a statement saying that in May all of their content from EMI will be offered in a 256kbps (higher quality), DRM-free (can be played on ANY mp3 player and as many computers as you want) form that costs only $1.29 per song (if you already own the song you can upgrade for 30 cents). These songs will also still be available for download in the original 128kbps, drm-hampered, 99 cent version for those who are too cheap to spot the 30 cents for the gigantic upgrade. This deal has a large impact considering the EMI library contains over five million songs at this time. Jobs claims that by the end of the year almost half of iTunes' content should have a DRM-free option available. This decision is HUGE, as this step towards accessible online music could be the action that sets into motion Apple's complete domination of the music world. If they are able to convince other labels to sell DRM-free music, we could see the transition into a world of easily accessible, easy to listen to music that is both simple AND legal. Good job Apple! Right when things are bad and you're starting to look like any other mega corporation, you go and do something that could possibly be one of the largest steps towards a new music industry reality since iTunes itself. You can read the official release here.

Apple and Record Companies Under Euro-Attack

The European Commission has issues a statement condemning the actions of Apple and record companies for breaking EU rules forbidding "Restrictive" business practices. This is in relation to the different selections available in different countries that are all part of the EU. Official statements like this are usually the first step in an anti-trust case that will be brought against a company. It's not sure how serious this will be for Apple and these record companies in Europe, but in any case it's interesting to see how Apple seems to be getting more and more Microsoft style negative press for questionable business practices. Between the DRM issue and iTunes non-international selections, iTunes could end up being the new Microsoft Windows, in the way that everyone has it and uses it, and yet nobody truly likes it.

iTunes Helping To Save The Album

The online era has created a scary trend within music listeners. Songs are becoming much more important than the albums they come from. This has been a dream come true for the casual listeners who loooooove the song they heard on the radio but don't have time to waste listening to any of the other songs on the album that don't have a platinum-selling-single seal of consumer approval. This trend creates a scary possibilty for the future of music, one where the Album is dead and in its place is fragments of songs that made it up. This trend is already showing up more and more in singles being sought out by listeners after appearing in movies, tv shows, commercials, or the ever so popular MTV and radio. While this theme is perplexing, I'm not very worried because it seems good bands continue to use the concept of the album to convey more complex stories and themes than can be told in just one song (and I'm not just talking about My Chemical Romance concept albums).

Apparently, I'm not the only one that thinks this way as iTunes is changing its policy on buying albums. Using their Complete My Album function you can buy the rest of an album from a single you've already purchase without having to pay for that song twice. In the past, you could buy as many single songs as you wanted off an album but if you wanted the whole thing you had to pay the full price. Now, you only have to pay for the songs you don't already own. While it seems like a small deal, I believe it will have a strong effect on people buying whole albums after liking single songs. This will have a strong effect on how musicians distribute, and in the long run, make music. Hopefully we'll be treated to the musical collection format that has brought some of the most amazing and epic concepts in music history.