I thought I would take this opportunity in light of the new single released today by Walt Disney Records from WALL•E, to talk about Walt Disney Records and DRM on their music.
Some of you may know that when record labels first started releasing music online to download, they were wrapped in a layer of copyright protection known as Digital Rights Management or DRM. Depending on where you bought the song from, it would only allow you to play it on a certain MP3 player/sand restricted your options on what else you wanted to do with it. I’m going to use iTunes as my example throughout as it is the biggest online music store. Prior to iTunes Plus, when you bought a song from the store, it would be wrapped in Apple’s FairPlay DRM.This wrapper allows the customer to only play the song on an iPod or other FairPlay compatible music player (not many), only allowed to be played on up to 5 different computers, and it may be copied to a CD any number of times.
This is where issues arise. You legally purchase a song, you own the song, yet the labels still tell you how you can use it. It is similar to say, going to buy a bag of sugar, only for the sugar grower to say that I can put it in only one bowl, but can authorize up to five other bowls to use it; I can’t lend a cup of sugar to anyone else, I can only make a chocolate cake out of it, and only I must eat the chocolate cake. It doesn’t seem fair. The DRM is there to stop pirates sharing music around the world illegally, but it ends up hurting the people who do purchase their content legitimately, because pirates always find a way around copy protection. This is where DRM-free music (and other media) comes into play. Many stores now offer DRM-free songs, such as Amazon and now iTunes with iTunes Plus. This means that there is no protection on the song, and you are free to put it on any compatible music player you like, and on any number of computers you like. Once again, the consumer owns their music.
But what do Walt Disney Records have to do with this? When iTunes Plus was announced, I thought considering the relationship between Apple and Disney in the past, Disney would have been one of the first labels to sign up for iTunes Plus, to prove to computer users around the world, they are looking out for their best interest and that they care about them. It never happened. I thought maybe they were in the process of getting ready to switch over to iTunes Plus. They don’t appear to be. iTunes Plus songs are the same price as regular, DRM songs on iTunes, so what do they have to lose? Sales? Certainly not. EMI reported a boost in sales after switching to iTunes Plus. It certainly makes sense as the songs are higher in quality, and compatible with more music players so people who don’t have an iPod but use iTunes can now purchase songs and will do so from those who use iTunes Plus. Again, I thought maybe they will release the WALL•E soundtrack in DRM free goodlyness. Doesn’t seem to be the case as they just released a single from the soundtrack in DRM encased badlyness.
Come on Disney, what’s the holdup? Sound off in the comments below.
Last modified: June 14, 2008
Kicking and screaming, will the media behemoths be dragged into the 21st century.
Some of the record companies are run by morons, so nothing they do suprises me. That doesn’t explain Disney dragging their feet, though — Iger is most definitely not a moron. He resurrected Disney from the creative hell of his predecessor. So why the DRM? Dunno. Inertia? Give ‘em another decade or two, and they’ll come around. Maybe.
I agree.
I totally agree with this excellent post. Very nice analogy comparing DRM to the restrictions on sugar use, puts the whole thing into perspective and makes the silliness of it all so clear. But I understand why they do it, the record industry reflexively looks to the past for new ideas. The lesson here: know your history but don’t be limited by it.
Peace.
Buy the songs on iTunes, burn it to a “Master” CD. Use that CD to make a zillion copies. No more DRM.
I should probably clarify that those “zillion” copies are for personal use and not to spread around and sell to your friends. But, if you need a copy for your iPod, your home stereo, and your car radio that is the way to go.
but why not just save us time and give us it in better quality and drm free, considering they can do that?