Breaking news, guys. Like, b-r-e-a-k-i-n-g. You may have heard about that stunt Radiohead pulled last week, giving away their music for whatever you feel it’s worth. Well now the pundits are out and have declared DRM dead. Or something!
But seriously, this Wired column opines that, now with DRM-free music everywhere it’s likely that music subscription services will be the victim. Reason being, if all of your MP3s are DRM-free, it opens the door for upstart companies that specialize in online jukeboxes. One such service, MP3tunes, searches users’ hard drives for DRM-free MP3s then automatically uploads them to its servers. You’re then able to listen to the music anywhere there’s an Internet connection. Why pay for something when you get it for free? I’m pretty sure that’s Generation Y’s motto.
The subscription model isn’t changing anytime soon. It’s needs “control” for the monthly “all you can eat” idea to work. DRM-FREE purchases are inevitable and much needed for the industry.