Apple Launches iTunes Plus with DRM-Free Tracks

Today Apple launched iTunes Plus, a premium service that offers music tracks free of copy protection. The iTunes Plus service debuts, as expected, featuring EMI Group's digital catalog of recordings.

Apple says the copy protection-free music tracks will be available as high quality 256 kbps AAC encoded audio "virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings" and will sell for just $1.29 per song. That's 30 cents more than tracks with copy protection that sell on iTunes for 99 cents. The technology that is used to prevent music tracks from being copied and redistributed is called digital rights management or DRM.

Apple also says iTunes customers can now easily upgrade their library of previously purchased EMI content to iTunes Plus tracks for just 30 cents a song and $3.00 for most albums.

Apple will continue to offer EMI's music with the DRM technology and at its current audio quality, for customers who don't want to pay extra.

Easier Listening without DRM

DRM, which prevents consumers from copying music illegally, also creates what many see as unfair restrictions on the way consumers can listen to songs they have legally purchased.

Most notably, Apple's proprietary DRM system prevents people who buy songs from its market-leading iTunes store from playing them easily on any music player other than an Apple iPod. That restriction has attracted criticism, particularly from regulators in Europe who say it unfairly limits customer choice.

iTunes Plus includes EMI's digital catalog, such as music of Coldplay, The Rolling Stones, Norah Jones, Frank Sinatra, Joss Stone, Pink Floyd, John Coltrane, and Paul McCartney.

In Related Music News

In related music news today CBS gobbled up Last.fm, a music-based social networking site, in a deal worth $280 million.

Last.fm works by tracking and learning your musical preferences and plays songs from additional artists you might like. The site also let you find and play "stations" that have been created by others.

Last.fm has more than 15 million active users.

As to why CBS bought the online music site, CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves said in a statement:

"Their demographics also play perfectly to CBS's goal to attract younger viewers and listeners across our businesses. Last.fm adds a terrific interactive extension to all of our properties and also is a huge step in CBS Corporation's overall strategy of expanding our reach online to transition from a content company into an audience company."

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