Head of MPAA Calls for DRM That Allows for "Managed Copying"

Amazon to Launch DRM-Free Downloads
On the music front, Amazon has announced its intent to try to launch a music service in May that would allow consumers to buy DRM-free music. Emboldened by the EMI-Apple deal, Amazon is attempting to court the four major labels, with some industry insiders saying that Amazon is looking to Universal and its classical music catalog as a test case.

Word had also spread that Amazon wanted to buy eMusic, which offers DRM-free music sales at reasonable rates in bulk quantities (50 songs per a monthly subscription that works out to about $.40 per song). The company has seen 100 percent annual growth for each of the past three years and research firm NPD ranks eMusic second only to Apple's iTunes in terms of the number of music downloads sold.

The company’s CEO squelched the rumors in an interview with Forbes, though.

"The company's not for sale," said CEO David Pakman. "The company is in no need of financing, and our growth is off the charts, thanks to the support of the 13,000 independent labels that support our no-DRM policy."

Pakman said that he has no plans to change eMusic's focus on non-mainstream music, despite the recent decision by EMI to begin selling its music without DRM.

"We would only carry the stuff from the majors that our customers want us to carry," he said. "We would not take their entire catalogue by any means. You would not see a lot of Janet Jackson in our service. But what we would see from EMI—the Blue Note catalog or EMI Classics—would do hugely well."

While Amazon is late to market, as efforts have been held back by various problems, such as its intent to launch its own music player to rival the iPod, the timing for its entry into the market—if it succeeds in carrying a non-DRM catalog, may be fortuitous.