AfterDawn: News

7Digital to offer DRM-free downloads from Warner

7Digital.com is the first online music retailer to offer customers in the U.K., Ireland, Spain, France, and Germany DRM-free songs from Warner Music. Previously Warner's only deal for the DRM-free releases was Amazon.com, which hasn't exported their MP3 store beyond U.S. borders yet. Such an expansion is expected some time this year.

7Digital.com already offered (DRM-free) music from EMI, and is reportedly working on deals with the other two major labels; Sony BMG and Universal Music.



James Bates of research firm Deloitte said "Today's announcement may be a tipping point in the general move to DRM-free data."



Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 5 Mar 2008 1:18

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• 4 comments

• hughjars

  So long as they get the price & quality right people will be interested.
  
  But that is a big if.
  
  Still, they are to be congratulated for at least seeing the light as far as DRM goes.

  5.3.2008 19:34 #1

• cousinkix

  I buy my music from independent websites like www.nugs.net and the artist's own homepages. These bands dropped DRM a long time ago. Many offer both MP-3 and lossless FLAC options, if you wanna pay a couple of extra bucks for the CD quality versions.
  
  Nobody cares if I make one or several copies. Two copies are made for the big home stereo systems in the lossless format. Nobody cares if I convert them to MP-3 so we can listen to my paid for songs on an IPOD or other portable devices. The RIAA goes nuts over their customers having control of what we buy.
  
  The RIAA's business model died several years ago. I refuse to patronize those paranoid music mafia companies any more. Time to move on...

  6.3.2008 00:07 #2

• OFI

  Perhaps this might make the service usable. I've bought tracks which I can't even download as the drm refuses to authenticate.
  Shame they most likely won't remove the drm from those i've already paid for.

  7.3.2008 02:36 #3

• borhan9

  Always good news for consumers.

  22.4.2008 00:11 #4