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Amazon-Warner MP3 Deal Details Confirmed: No Audio Watermarking and More

Just talked to sources at Amazon and Warner Music Group about their DRM-free MP3 retail deal. In case you were wondering, we have confirmed that Warner is not watermarking the files to keep track of them. Incidentally, Amazon wasn't aware of whether or not it would happen, saying that "in some cases the labels provide [Amazon] with audio files that they apply some watermarking to." Here's more on the catalog availability and other pressing concerns:

Don't expect the entire Warner catalog to be up this instant. (Though Led Zeppelin, a longtime digital holdout totally is.) It's a pretty massive one, so Amazon is rolling it out over the next couple of days, and with new content going up every ten minutes. Don't expect everything to be the same price, either—as you probably guessed, variable pricing is in play.

Despite Warner being one of the more reluctant labels to jump on the DRM-free MP3 bandwagon, unlike Universal, Amazon's director of digital music Pete Baltaxe told us that Warner is "not treating this as a test, they are making their entire catalog available." Universal has offered its DRM-free tracks to some retailers as an experiment. Regardless of how dissimilar the Warner and Universal deals sound, we don't think we'll see tracks from either of them popping up on iTunes anytime soon.

Well, what about that other MP3 wallflower, Sony? Predictably they "can't comment on any particular discussions with Sony," though they "talk to all the labels all the time." Our prediction? With every other major label at the party, we doubt Sony's going to cry alone in the corner for too long. [Gizmodo]

2:30 PM on Thu Dec 27 2007
By matt buchanan
2,203 views
9 comments

Comments

Lavallee017 at 02:46 PM on 12/27/07
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DRM free FTW!

maybe this will spur iTunes and Zune marketplace to actually start stocking DRM free mp3s instead of just talking about it and offering a minuscule amount of their library to be truly free from the clutches of rights management
whiteknight at 03:00 PM on 12/27/07
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Well, it's about D#*M time!
novacthall at 03:49 PM on 12/27/07
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Can you go into details about the variable pricing model, Matt?
Sihanouk-s-Poodle at 03:52 PM on 12/27/07
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Variable pricing? This either means world peace or utter doom is at hand, right?
Monty at 04:43 PM on 12/27/07
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Can someone explain to me why we should be concerned about watermarking? If you are puchasing the tunes and you are the only person using them, who cares? Or are we concerned because we want to purchase a song for a buck and give it to thousands of people?

In any case, DRM-free tracks from Warner is wonderful news.
Doctor_Memory at 04:56 PM on 12/27/07
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Lavallee017: that's not how it works. Neither Apple nor Microsoft nor Amazon has any choice about which tracks they're allowed to offer in non-DRM versions. The labels own the copyright on the tracks, and they dictate in their licensing contracts what form the downloads may take. So far, only EMI has allowed Apple and Microsoft to offer non-DRM tracks, while EMI, Warner and Universal have allowed Amazon to do so. If you want non-DRM downloads on iTunes or Zune Marketplace, you should let the labels know that you want them.
Azndude51 at 05:13 PM on 12/27/07
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This is great news, Amazon is my new favorite MP3 store.
DW at 01:08 AM on 12/28/07
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Variable pricing is OK for me as long as it isn't too expensive: I picked up Fatboy Slim's "Song For Shelter" from Amazon MP3 for $1.95. It was worth it since it was not available on iTunes AT ALL unless you purchased the entire album.
stratboy at 02:09 PM on 12/28/07
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As soon as I heard this....Amazon/Warner/Old 97's had $9.00 of my money to split up however they saw fit.

I'll still use torrents as my "radio" to see if I even like a particular artist/album/song. Broadcast radio is dead. XM/Sirius are not much better.

When I do like something I found via torrents, I like to reward the artist....but I will never ever never ever nevuh evuh nebber ebber NEVER EVER, under any circumstance, purchase DRM laced music.

I am glad to see the music killing music industry finally getting a clue. I hope the Old 97's get tons of new biz and fat stacks o'cash....although I'm sure the "suits" are more concerned with shareholders, and have found many other ways to screw the artists of their due. Oh well. Come play Yakima and I'll buy a ticket and an Old 97's shirt.

Did I mention the Old 97's yet? Start with "Fight Songs" for a good intro. Uptempo Americana at it's finest.

Ok...back to the topic.

The ability to easily purchase DRM free music has re-opened the conduit from my wallet to the music biz. I was tired of buying/storing cds. Thanks Amazon/Warner. Enjoy the money. Don't forget to feed the content creators.