Requim for DRM: Apple music sells one million in less than a week

Bill Frantz frantz at pwpconsult.com
Fri May 9 13:55:25 EDT 2003


At 5:26 AM -0700 5/9/03, Ben Cox wrote:
>I'm not sure how this is really a "requiem" for DRM, since Apple's
>iTunes Music Store sells AAC files that include a DRM scheme.  Whether
>you consider Apple's AAC-based DRM scheme onerous or not is up to you.
>But it is there.
>
>In the latest TidBITS, Adam Engst discusses Apple's DRM from a user's
>point of view (not a technical/implementation POV).
>
>http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07175

Note that while there is DRM, it is mostly there to keep honest people
honest (and to satisfy the record companies).  You can burn a CD from your
AAC file, and then rip that back to MP3 if you want.  (There are other
techniques as well, but this one is easy on the newer Macs.)

What really interests me is whether this service will serve to
disintermediate the record companies.  A series this week in the San
Francisco Chronicle describes how modern computers have basically put the
recording studio out of business, but cutting the cost to what an amateur
musician can afford.  With a distribution arm like the iTunes Music Store,
and the others sure to follow, I suspect that many musicians will decide
they no longer need the major record companies, since they can now record
and sell without them.

As an aside, some musician friends have managed to attract enough of a
following by posting a few freebees on mp3.com that they have a profitable
business selling CDs.  See http://www.flowinglass.com/ for all the details
(and some good music).

Cheers - Bill


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