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NEW YORK - VIVENDI'S Universal Music Group has announced that it will sell thousands of songs in an unrestricted digital format through many other online music stores, a move which will blunt Apple's growing power in the MP3 world.
Universal, the world's largest music label, on Thursday said it will test the sale of songs by artists such as 50 Cent, Sting and the Black Eyed Peas without the customary digital rights management (DRM), a copy-protection technology. The sale will be over a trial period from August to next January.
'The experiment will analyse such factors as consumer demand, price-sensitivity and piracy in regard to the availability of open MP3s,' Universal spokesman Peter LoFrumento said.
While many independent music labels have made their catalogues available for download without DRM for years, the major recording companies had opposed selling music without the technology, for fear of increasing online piracy. Universal's test run marks a departure from the industry's common practice.
Vendors including Google and Amazon.com Inc will participate in the DRM-free trial, selling tracks for 99 US cents (S$1.50) each. Apple Inc's iTunes online music store will not be taking part.
However, songs purchased through the programme can be played on Apple's popular iPod, as well as on a range of other MP3 players, Universal said.
REUTERS
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