The music industry is now sorting through a high-profile shift away from DRM by EMI and Apple, announced Monday.
Reactions are mixed, and vary depending on the sector involved. A critical question is whether the remaining majors will follow the EMI Music lead, or if they will merely hover on the sidelines. “I’d imagine that there are a bunch of meetings happening in a bunch of places,” mused former EMI digital executive Ted Cohen, currently head of LA-based digital media consultancy TAG Strategic. That makes the terrain unpredictable, though major label chiefs like Doug Morris could opt to simply eye the EMI Music guinea pig, and monitor whether sales actually experience a bump. Others were simply disappointed by the move, noting that a shift towards higher-priced, higher-quality tracks represents a misread of the digital consumer. “People don’t care about higher fidelity,” said one high-profile manager. “It’s a myth, especially when the price is pushed higher.”
Elsewhere, the announcement is being applauded by iTunes Store competitors. “This moves us closer than ever to the day when consumers will be able to buy their favorite music via Rhapsody and enjoy it on their iPod or any other music-playing device,” said RealNetworks chairman and chief executive Rob Glaser. “We look forward to working with EMI and the rest of the music industry to bring DRM-free, interoperable music to consumers in the months ahead.” Other stores are also excited, simply because the shackles surrounding the iPod are finally loosening. Already, London-based digital music backend provider 7digital has positioned an MP3-based, higher quality album download from EMI artist The Good, The Bad & The Queen. Like other stores and providers, 7digital will embrace the remaining EMI Music catalog following the iTunes exclusive in May.