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MP3 Insider Lounge: Is eMusic the best example of DRM-free music?
Is eMusic the best example of DRM-free music?
by navsimpson - 2/9/07 9:01 PMWith all the DRM hubbub going around lately, lots of people have been pointing to how successful the DRM-free model at eMusic has been. I was wondering though - given the type the generally underground-ish, indie music that is on eMusic, is it really true that it's the best example for why DRM-free works?
I say this because people who listen to indie or underground hip-hop or classical - all of which eMusic has in spades - are generally more likely to want to pay the artists they like by legally purchasing music. I think with pop artists, there's a much more laissez-faire attitude to violating copyright laws because the perception (and probably the truth) is that they have so much money, if they don't get paid for such-and-such a song, it isn't really that big a deal.
I guess I say all this because I'm not entirely convinced that totally DRM-free music is the way to go (don't hate me please!). I just think sharing music digitally (as opposed to physical formats) is just too easy for it not to have an impact on sales.
It's an example of a successful model and that's a start
by jerlou3 - 2/12/07 8:47 AM In reply to: Is eMusic the best example of DRM-free music? by navsimpsonWhile you make a valid point that the indie/underground fans are fiercely loyal to their favorite artists and would pay anyways, it's not like the DRM currently in place on the more mainstream artists is doing any good. That's the real problem. If go on any of the file sharing networks now you can find any popular artist you want. That's just an unfortunate fact that is never going to change no matter how many people the RIAA sues. All DRM is really doing is preventing you from listening to your music in whatever fashion you want. You're actually being punished for doing the right thing and buying it legally. I think Emusic is a great example of how DRM free music at a great deal can be a successful business model.
Yeah, you're right
by navsimpson - 2/14/07 12:25 PM In reply to: It's an example of a successful model and that's a start by jerlou3I guess I was just thinking out loud - and not particularly well. 
eMusic may have a somewhat unique userbase, but you're quite right saying that DRM'ed music isn't really helping much either.
I'm curious - do you think that DRM-free pop music tracks would be distributed in a way that reduced sales? Or, as often happens now, would they simply be 'pirated' but not actually represent a lost sale for a record label and a retail/online outlet?
-Nav
Penalising the legal and rewarding the pirate
by Mavoz - 2/25/07 1:08 AM In reply to: It's an example of a successful model and that's a start by jerlou3Just wanted to say I absolutely agree with the comment that DRM is only penalising those who want to do the right thing anyway. The pirates of the world can very happily get whatever music they want...while I who want to legally purchase music have to suffer the DRM blues.
I want to pay artists for the use of their mp3's..but I don't like the idea of paying for music that will cease to be useable when computers need reformatting, or I buy a new machine or something just crashes in the DRM system and I'm suddenly locked out from music I bought.
Imagine the outcry if you bought a music CD and it would only work on the one CD player!! I have purchased music..and then had to repurchase that same music after software/hardware issues etc. A site like Emusic is great for the mp3's ..but frustrating that it has a lack of the well known labels.
I'm having the same problem
by Sasha Tee - 3/5/07 11:04 AM In reply to: Penalising the legal and rewarding the pirate by MavozWith my new computer, with Vista installed, I've lost the capability of playing all the songs I've bought online as well as songs from cds that I have bought and paid for. I don't feel comfortable downloading Music Assistant until I understand more about it.
DRM restricts the buyers rights to use as they wish
by UKposter - 3/30/07 7:54 AM In reply to: Penalising the legal and rewarding the pirate by MavozAs said elsewhere in this thread, if you buy a CD/vinyl you can choose where you play something that you have bought, with DRM you are often restricted in how you make this choice. You might be able to download a song and play it on say itunes, but can you play it on another mp3 player, probably not, why should you, the purchaser be tied into certain software/hardware in order to listen to something that you have paid for?
I refuse to use itunes and other sites with DRM to download music from for this reason. I do use emusic, mainly because of it's DRM-free service. Sure, it does not have the main pop songs, unless they're on independent labels, personally that's not what I want though. Emusic does have a very wide choice of music, but they are all on independent labels because of the DRM-free policy there. It's range of music by one artist may be restricted though by this policy, you may find best-of's and live recordings by very well known artists, often they are not the best ones though, while the bulk of that artists work may well be on a major label, and thus not available there. Overall I do not regret subscribing to emusic.
However, recently I have had problems with labels withdrawing from emusic, albums I had saved to download later, because my monthly limit had been reached, are no longer available in my country (UK), sometimes it may be one or two tracks on an album that are not 'currently available in your region', this does not make me want to recommend emusic, currently. Unless they sort this issue out I may not renew my subscription, because I upgraded on the basis that there was music that I wanted on there, only to find out soon after that this was no longer the case with quite a lot that I had my eye on. I know that this is not fully the responsibility of emusic, the labels are doing it for their own reasons, be it restricting non-DRM sales/ money-grabbing or whatever.
" . . .just too easy for it not to have an impact on sales."
by ciggieoxo - 3/7/07 8:25 PM In reply to: Is eMusic the best example of DRM-free music? by navsimpson"I just think sharing music digitally (as opposed to physical formats) is just too easy for it not to have an impact on sales."
Transforming my music for use on MP3 players did have an impact on sales from my experience; I had to go out and by a heck of a lot of CDs. When I was limited to my CDs I didn't tote music around much because I didn't want my CDs to get damaged or lost plus carrying around the CDs plus a CD Walkman-like player was a bulky mess that's hard to maneuver.
However with the advent of MP3 players I can just grab the tiny MP3 Player and clip it on to soothe my mood while doing chores or shopping or you-name-it. So with that new scenario I needed more music. I ended up buying over 50 new CDs mostly from online music stores but sometimes from half.com.
You are perfectly right in saying "" . . .just too easy for it not to have an impact on sales." But I say it was just too easy to purchase new CDs online to rip for my MP3 player! The impact on sales in my case was I paid out a lot of cash to the members of the RIAA and others who now insist that I now get stuck with DRM dementia.
This post was spell checked with "Spell Check Anywhere" version 4.5.
AllofMP3 is...
by fbbbb - 4/2/07 1:25 AM In reply to: Is eMusic the best example of DRM-free music? by navsimpson...the best example of a DRM-free music store, but of course it's legality is dubious. But that really is how an online music store should be in my book. It's a great place to buy music from and has tons of choice in what you can download and how you can download it.
Does Anybody Know How Much Money Goes to the Artist(s)?
by osxxp - 4/2/07 3:01 AM In reply to: Is eMusic the best example of DRM-free music? by navsimpsonWith several online music stores like iTunes and MusicMatch charging 98 cents for a download, does anyone know how much of that $0.98 goes to the artist(s)? I took a lot of LP's to a concert and afterwards had the artist autograph 10 records. He bitterly said he got only a couple of bucks total from my purchase of all 10 records.
So again, while we are posting about paying the artists, does anyone knows how many cents in a $0.98 music download actual goes to the artist(s)?
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