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Thu, 15 Feb 2007 DRM loses hearts and minds

Most music industry execs now want to dump DRM

Jonny Evans

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The majority of music industry executives agree with Apple CEO Steve Jobs that labels should ditch DRM on digital sales.

The four major labels now seem increasingly isolated in their desire for rights-managed online music releases — and recent reports claim that EMI may join with the prevailing industry philosphy.

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Now a report from Jupiter Research claims two-thrids of European music industry execs don't want DRM, calling them "not fit for purpose", and slamming them for damaging music consumer experience.

The survey was conducted between December and January, before Jobs spoke up against DRM technology. It showed tht 54 per cent of executives surveyed believe current DRM systems are too restrictive, and that 62 per cent believe that dumping DRM would boost legal digital music sales.

That 62 per cent reflects differently in diferrent sectors: at labels, 48 per cent believe losing DRM would boost sales; outside labels, 73 per cent of music executives think dumping these technologies would boost the market.

Interoperability — the ability to play purchased tracks on any player — remains critical to another 70 per cent of those surveyed.

A second report from Q Research this morning points out that 85 per cent of young people aged between 11-25 years old already own an MP3 player (mainly iPods).

The survey reveals that while 45 per cent of the sample group pay nothing for their music, almost a third spend up to £5 a month with 3 per cent spending £25 or more each month.

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