Filed under: iTS, iTunes, Apple
EMI DRM free tracks on iTunes: Pricing, and upgrading
As Dave posted, EMI is offering their entire catalog of music sans DRM. This is a great move for customers. Many people commented last night that it isn't the DRM that bothers them with iTunes downloads, but rather the lower bitrate of the songs. It would seem that EMI is going to be addressing that as well.Not only will EMI songs be DRM free, but they will also be available at twice the bitrate of other songs on iTunes. There is a catch though, single DRM free tracks will cost $1.29 with DRMed tracks of the same music (at a lower bitrate) still available for $.99. You will also be able to 'upgrade' EMI tracks you have already purchased for $.30 each. Albums will be DRM free, though they won't charge a premium (hence, most will cost $9.99) and all of EMI's music videos will drop the DRM but remain priced at $1.99.
No word on when these tracks will be available on the iTunes Store (the first to offer them), but you can be sure this blogger will be buying a DRM free album when he can.
Update: Jobs says the tracks will be available in May.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Max Naylor said 8:44AM on 4-02-2007
Jobs said that they’ll be available worldwide at the end of May on the webcast.
Reply
pentumforever said 8:48AM on 4-02-2007
What happend to the good old "Avaible now" from Apple???
Reply
Victor Agreda Jr said 8:52AM on 4-02-2007
Even so, iTunes Store is kinda hosed today... don't forget you can Cmd-. to stop trying to access whatever it can't get to (jeez, all I waned was a song!)
Reply
Press Department said 8:58AM on 4-02-2007
Congrats to EMI for putting the consumers first.
Reply
Max Naylor said 9:01AM on 4-02-2007
Sorry, in reference to my earlier post I meant to say just “around the start of May”. He said “the end of this month” on the recording.
Reply
kakapo said 9:02AM on 4-02-2007
Jobs actually said "in May" not "the end of May"
How do I know - I actually listened ot the complete presentaiotn including the Q&A whicih just ended
Reply
RZnews said 9:07AM on 4-02-2007
You can download the audio parts with Steve at the press conference here: http:///www.trolano.com/EMI_Pressconference/
Reply
Jan said 9:08AM on 4-02-2007
What I want to know is if Apple is willing to offer the same deal to the likes of TuneCore or any indie labels....
Jan
Reply
Jon Niola said 9:12AM on 4-02-2007
YES! Been waiting for higher bitrates!
I for one will be buying some EMI music to show my appreciation for this.
The only way to change the behavior of these corporations is to vote with your wallet. If you like something they do, show it. If not, take your business elsewhere.
Reply
Eric said 9:25AM on 4-02-2007
Am I the only one underwhelmed?
224kbps AAC is a waste for most music these days. I know they have to justify the price by why not give people the option of 128 or 224 with or without DRM? Whohoo... bigger and more expensive tracks, just what I wanted. If apple were really shooting for quality why not just spring for apple lossless that can be converted to whatever preferred format you want?
Apple did this so they can now use it as fodder in the EU waving it in the face of anti-trust regulators. EMI gets more profits out of it as well as being a leader among the big labels.
Reply
Galley said 9:42AM on 4-02-2007
While today's announcement is certainly great news, I am a little disappointed they won't be offering lossless audio.
Reply
SoloMalee said 9:48AM on 4-02-2007
EMI - The Sex Pistols
"There's unlimited supply
And there is no reason why
I tell you it was all a frame
They only did it 'cos of fame
Who?
E.M.I. E.M.I. E.M.I."
So I guess EMI are the goodies now. Does that mean hell froze over and global warming is solved now?
All in all, a great day for music! Finally the industry begins to understand their market, their customers and their business.
Reply
Galley said 9:56AM on 4-02-2007
While today's announcement is certainly great news, I am a little
disappointed they won't be offering lossless audio.
Reply
Chris said 10:29AM on 4-02-2007
Here's a list of EMI's artists:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musicians_signed_to_EMI
FINALLY, Brittney Spears and Paris Hilton can be heard on the iTunes as they were originally intended!
Reply
StrikerObi said 10:31AM on 4-02-2007
This is really great but I have one question about upgrades. Single tracks cost 30 cents more to get with no DRM and high quality. Albums do not have a premium charge applied. So, all EMI albums should be DRM free and 224kbps for (most of them) only $9.99
What about upgrades? If I bought a single song I will be charged 30 cents to upgrade to to high quality no DRM. If I bought an entire album that consists of 12 tracks will I be charged to upgrade the album? If full albums don't have a premium charge then upgrading albums should be free. Is it?
Reply
DrWho said 10:46AM on 4-02-2007
Just goes to show that it is impossible to please everybody! Amazing.
If you want lossless - buy a cd and rip it yourself. I think 256kbps AAC is a good compromise and the extra amount for a DRM free track in better quality is worth it.
Reply
franko said 11:02AM on 4-02-2007
also, from what i have heard on the news this morning, it's interesting to note that the beatles catalog (and, i assume, solo work by lennon, mccartney, and harrison), while part of the EMI catalog, are NOTpart of this deal. they are still working out that part, apparently.
Reply
Nick said 11:29AM on 4-02-2007
"Apple did this so they can now use it as fodder in the EU"
The fatuous twerps at the EU can go and boil their heads. This isn't about them. It's about EMI finally allowing Apple to offer more attractive product, as Jobs had *already* wanted and had argued for all along. (There are *ancient* comments from him explaining why DRM won't work around on the web.) I'll expect to see the same or similar deals from other outlets EMI uses, too. This is not primarily about Apple.
"Just goes to show that it is impossible to please everybody! Amazing."
Quite. It's interesting that the un-DRMing is linked to a bitrate change. As I read it, EMI is still windy about whole thing. They floated the idea of DRM-free music not so long ago, but talks broke down because they wanted download stores to indemnify them against the possible cost in lost sales. My guess would be that a higher cost on the non-DRM content is simply another way of doing that, but since EMI can't simply ask Apple (and whomever else they work with) to ask for more money per track and expect customers to pay it, the increased bitrate is, as it were, thrown in.
I'm not sure the customer is getting a lot of advantage. There probably won't be a significant audible difference from 128kbps files, but the files will take up more room on a portable player. But I'm not going to badmouth EMI over the deal. I understand that they have their concerns.
Anyway, if their product doesn't suit me I'll simply not buy it.
Reply
Jon said 11:44AM on 4-02-2007
I think this will confuse the average consumer. I thought the whole point of iTunes was to offer the same price for everything?
Reply
Subliminal Fusion said 12:08PM on 4-02-2007
If you want to stock up now on iTunes credits, Best Buy is having a buy 3, get 1 free $15 iTunes card sale ($60 of credit for $45):
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=pcmcat116600050004
Reply