“The discussions at a music conference here Tuesday started with an all-around bashing of Apple CEO Steve Jobs before moving to the plethora of issues plaguing the music industry,” Greg Sandoval reports for CNET News.
Sandoval reports, “At the opening of the conference, some of the panel members lashed out at Jobs. Members said Jobs’ call three weeks ago for DRM-free music was ‘insincere’ and a ‘red herring.'”
“‘Imagine a world where every online store sells DRM-free music encoded in open licensable formats,’ Jobs wrote in a letter that rocked the music industry. ‘In such a world, any player can play music purchased from any store, and any store can sell music which is playable on all players. This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat.’ Jobs’ position was perceived by many in the music industry as a 180-degree shift in direction. The view expressed at the conference is that Apple has maintained a stranglehold on the digital music industry by locking up iTunes music with DRM,” Sandoval reports.
Sandoval reports, “Cohen told the audience that if Jobs was really sincere about doing away with DRM, he would soon release movies from Disney–the studio Jobs holds a major stake in–without any software protection. An Apple representative declined to comment on Tuesday on remarks made by the panel.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Chris” for the heads up.]
DRM does not work. It does not hinder pirates and it can potentially frustrate paying customers. Why the music cartel can’t see this simple fact is a testament to the blinding power of greed. As for DRM on films, it should and will go away; probably after it’s been proven that DRM-free drastically increases music sales.
When the dust settles, Steve Jobs will have saved the music industry, while changing it radically. Maybe the reason the music cartels aren’t thanking Jobs is that they see themselves quickly becoming redundant.
Related articles:
EMI halts talks about selling DRM-free music – February 26, 2007
Warner Music approaches EMI in possible takeover bid – February 20, 2007
Windows Vista’s DRM is bad news – February 14, 2007
Warner’s DRM-loving Middlebronfman warns wireless industry it may lose music market to Apple iPhone – February 14, 2007
Monster Cable announces full support of Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ call for DRM-free music – February 13, 2007
EMI may sell entire music catalog DRM-free – February 09, 2007
Recording Industry Association of America wants their DRM, calls for Apple to license FairPlay – February 08, 2007
Warner’s Middlebronfman: Jobs’ DRM-free music call ‘without logic and merit, we’ll not abandon DRM’ – February 08, 2007
Dvorak: Apple CEO Steve Jobs is dead right about DRM – February 07, 2007
Apple’s Jobs jolts music industry; Zune exec calls Jobs’ call for DRM-free music ‘irresponsible’ – February 07, 2007
Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ posts rare open letter: ‘Thoughts on Music’ – calls for DRM-free music – February 06, 2007
What do you expect from them? Praise?
If Jobs is sincere about it Apple should release indi tracks without DRM -I have a feeling we don’t have the whole story from Apple
Bitch and moan. OK, well we all do it. But I still cannot understand why they do it to a company that they can ignore (apple) for now, but never seem to complain about the very same things vs Microsoft. DRM, crappy software, crappy playing with partners, etc.
Maybe they have just given up on MicroCrap. Eitherway, I could care less. Let them Zune away!! LOL
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Right. Jobs should not have forged a deal with the music companies that gave them the protections they wanted! Ohhhkay. And because he did this, he’s the bad guy. I get it. Just like the U.S. is the bad guy for insisting that the Iranians keep their word about not producing weapons-grade nuclear material. *rolls eyes*
Just because Steve Jobs and seemingly Apple are against DRM why does that mean that Steve Jobs will automatically be able to get Disney to do away with it? He may be a major influence over there but he doesn’t run the place. Plus, movies are different from music, DRM may still be a bad idea for both but there are different arguments that can be made for each market.
“Maybe the reason the music cartels aren’t thanking Jobs is that they see themselves quickly becoming redundant.”
Don’t you mean irrelevant?
And what those idiots don’t realise is that the mess they would be in would be even worse without Apple/Jobs/iTunes..
Makes you laugh.
It is Steve Jobs’ world, and we, along with the record executives, just live in it.
The sooner the execs realize this, the better off and more fun this world will be.
I can’t wait to see their reactions when iTunes starts directly signing artists.
Won’t it be great when artists won’t need the marketing dollars of the music mafia as all they would have to do is sign up with iTunes and you have direct access to the buying population.
That really will be the breaking of the cartel.
Ok, so Jobs talks about songs, music, tunes and the panel reaction is that *thence*, if he was sincere, he should sell movies without DRM.
Perfect logic. Yes, makes sense.
I wonder what the panel would have retorted if Jobs had said that movies had to be sold without DRM? That *thence*, if he was sincere, he should start to have iPod play windows media player music?
Again a knee-jerk reaction from people scared to loose big revenues by allowing the sales of non-DRM music.
When the photocopiers and printers came out the first time pundits (ie, idiots) screamed foul as that would have meant the end of literature and publishing as everyone was now able to print a book or photocopying it. Nobody will buy anymore a book: it will just be printed or photocopied.
Non-DRM music will allow to have customer look for the best quality product, not wary about buying it online because they know they will always be able to play and listen to it with whatever gadget they will happen to fall in love with, now or in the future.
In other news, the Pope told of conference of bishops that he’s Catholic.
I see that the “Stategic Head of Zune Planning” was there.. what a busy fellow he must be! How come he still has a job…
…oh I remember, the world pays Microsoft an extortionate Windows Tax which they can blow as they please…
One significant difference between movies and music is that commercial movies are exclusively distributed with DRM.
Music sold on CD has no DRM and DRM is only added when it’s sold on-line.
But why would the music industry let an inconvenient fact or two get in the way of having a go at SJ ?
He certainly won’t be upset by incurring the wrath of a group of people who he despises and I’m sure it will only redouble his wish to sweep away DRM and possibly some of the labels too.
“Cohen told the audience that if Jobs was really sincere about doing away with DRM, he would soon release movies from Disney–the studio Jobs holds a major stake in–without any software protection.”
This is a moronic argument, and someone “in the biz” should certainly recognize that music and movies are like apples and oranges. DVDs have DRM built in, but they will play in any brand of DVD player. And I’m willing to bet that the movie studios don’t have any type of agreement in place with the DRM company stating that if it’s breached, they can pull their catalog.Actually, it’s a great example of of how worthless DRM is because there are dozens of apps out there that can easily break it.
Why is it that none of these guys will address the fact that the majority of the music they sell is unprotected, so “protecting” a tiny percentage of the music sold will make NO DIFFERENCE! News flash music industry, people who intend to make music available to others through piracy BUY CDS! It’s like trying to stop your boat from sinking by sticking your thumb in a hole, not realizing that your entire bow is missing. There’s absolutely no logic to it.
The truth is, they’re just pissed at Steve because he placed the blame where it belongs – on their shoulders.
Meanwhile, the RIAA is in a 2,880-degree shift as they spin wildly out of control. About all they have left is spin.
AlanAudio One significant difference between movies and music is that commercial movies are exclusively distributed with DRM. Music sold on CD has no DRM and DRM is only added when it’s sold on-line.
excellent point, well said.
also, many indie labels already make their music available sans DRM, and in lossless formats (Nettwerk, Warp) for the same price (or cheaper) as a CD.
When Steve first released the letter, my thoughts were the same as the music execs…convince Disney to sell Pixar movies without DRM. I believe the DRM is useless. I think the DRM free movies would put Steve’s money where his mouth is.
Now that Apple has settled with Apple, there is no reason Jobs can’t start his own record label, either Apple branded, Disney branded or something entirely new.
Be very afraid RIAA…
Make fun all you want, music-industry guys. I’m still not buying. Must suck to be losing money because you still want to operate your business under 1980’s rules.
You promised to drop the prices of CD’s throughout the years and instead they are now $22 an album in some places. Greed has killed your business model, losers.
The music labels clearly understand DRM limits only the law-abiding citizens, while pirates will always be pirates.
What they do know is they are likely to get honest customers to pony up multiple times for the same music – that is what DRM is truly all about, and not stopping pirating. What a red herring.
Steve has survived cancer. I’m sure he’ll survive an all-around bashing at a music conference.
Every single song they put out is sold at Target on CD withour DRM – there is nothing inherently different about online sales.
Every single song they put out is sold at Target on CD withour DRM – there is nothing inherently different about online sales.
Every single song they put out is sold at Target on CD withour DRM – there is nothing inherently different about online sales.
Every single song they put out is sold at Target on CD withour DRM – there is nothing inherently different about online sales.
Every single song they put out is sold at Target on CD withour DRM – there is nothing inherently different about online sales.
Every single song they put out is sold at Target on CD withour DRM – there is nothing inherently different about online sales.
Every single song they put out is sold at Target on CD withour DRM – there is nothing inherently different about online sales.
The music business is run by greedy bastards who would rather die than give up even one penny of ill-gotten gain. People like that must think Steve Jobs is the Devil himself. Tough!
“Ted Cohen leaves a wife, two children and a dog.”
The closing line of Cohen’s obituary after his forthcoming and somewhat bizarre accident where his necktie gets caught in a shredder.
Colleagues find the accident quite worrying as the machine had only just been serviced by a middle-aged man wearing a black roll-neck jumper.
Depending upon what you do, you can judge the quality of your work by who you have pissed off!
To Apple & SJ……FINE JOB!!
Keep up the goog work!
TR
@Fanatic Realist
Exactly
It’s obvious that music industry execs are as clueless as hedgehogs.
MDN word: had. As in, the music industry had its opportunity…and blew it.
“Keep up the goog work!”
sb Keep up the good work!
DRM should go away just as MDN says as it does not hinder pirates it only causes headaches for the paying customers. CD sales are DRM free what makes online sales any different. I can just as easily take a CD and rip it so why is so important to have DRM on online music sales. There just isn’t any point to it and that just shows you how ignorant the music label execs are to everything out there and makes Jobs look that much more smarter than they could ever be. EMI is another good example of sheer stupidity to let Warner try and take them over just because they were open to DRM free music and now suddenly thanks to Warner they are not anymore!
Please stop calling those money grubbibg people “the Music Industry”. They are “the Recording Industry”, or “the Exploit the Artists Industry”, or whatever other description you might come up with.
The MUSICIANS are “the Music Industry” & if SJ manages to free them from the grip of “the Recording Industry” we are in for a new age………entire
The more music executives complain in public about Steven Jobs, the more they look like buffoons to the general public.
More important, the executives look more like buffoons to music artist.
I attended this conference in NY last year. Ted Cohen at that point worked for EMI Records. He and the other guests on the panel (can’t remember, think it was Yahoo, Napster, and someone else) were all discussing subscription based sales as the way of the future. Apple didn’t participate in the panel, which made the whole affair seem a bit irrelevant to me. It appears that Ted is now with a music consulting firm. Interesting…
Cohen really didn’t get Jobs’ essay.
The only reason music should be sold without DRM is because CDs, which account for 90% of all music sold, are sold without DRM. The situation is completely different with video and DVDs, which are sold with DRM. Why did Jobs’ spend so much time in his essay on this point?
Man, Cohen is dumb. Or he’s being disingenous, and nobody is calling him on it.
Does this guy truly believe because someone is the largest shareholder, he can MAKE a publicly traded company do something?
What and idiot.
Not to get too overly philosophical, here, but this is the same argument that can be made for gun control. It doesn’t work. People who do illegal things with guns do them not because we don’t have enough laws to keep them from it. They do illegal and immoral things because they are immoral. Maybe a-moral. DRM absolutely does not keep the pirates from doing what they do. They will find a way. Banter, argue, discuss all you want, but it all comes down to character. We are all individuals responsible for our own actions. If we choose to break laws, act unethically, behave immorally that speaks to who we are as individuals and what we value. What we value influences, no, dictates, what we do. Guy in a bar asks a girl, Will you sleep with me for one million dollars?” She doesn’t hesitate but cozies up and says, “Sure.” He responds with another question, “What about ten bucks?” She instantly recoils and cries, “What do you think I am, a hooker?” He replies, “I thought we’d established what you were. I was just negotiating price.”
The reason Apple doesn’t sell DRM free music and DRM music has probably more to do with the software and database structure of the iTunes store. It’s just not cost effective to have different DRM purchases on the store. They would have to provide different software tools to distributors. Also, by not budging he’s forcing the issue. Once the big 4 start selling DRM free songs online for new artists it will open the floodgates.
Apple hardly makes any money on the iTunes store. It exists to service the iPod and soon the Apple TV and iPhone. The music industry saw the iPod as a threat to their business because it could play ripped digital files and pirated music… which it still can. EVERY digital player can. And almost every CD is the source of the DRM files out there.
If the music industry is so pro DRM why don’t they DRM every CD?
Because it kills sales.
“When the dust settles, Steve Jobs will have saved the music industry”
Lots of people have been saying exactly what he said for a very long time. “No more DRM on music” wasn’t Mr. Jobs’ idea. He’s just adding his support to a long list of people that have hated DRM since it was introduced.
If DRM is ever removed from music sold online, it won’t be because of his doing. He will not have saved anything.
Was Jobs there at the conference?
I guess not.
There’s a word for their actions:
COWARDACE
These cowards haven’t even got the balls to confront Jobs about his views and just state this bollocks because they know he’s right.
Cowards go home.
Whoa, one thing at a time, I thought it was about DRM on MUSIC (for now,) then this Cohen guy wants Disney MOVIES DRM free? First things first, Music! Let music be DRM free, see how market reacts, if success move to Movies? or everything at once??
I think this is a complicated matter, being debated over in a conference by a whiny bunch of people with nothing to say.
We know that most of the 99cents goes to the record label. (And buyers should appreciate SJ who could have easily caved into pressure for higher pricing by while fattening Apple’s cut and making the iTS more profitable). How much of that winds up in the artists’ pocket?
I also wonder when the quote sales declines… are they couting those artists who now sell direct and bypass the record industry? The web also enabled legal transactions that bypass the recording industry. I don’t just mean your local up and coming band… there are some long time artists who have decided to go direct.