p2pnet.net news:- Britain’s EMI got the ball rolling by suggesting it was thinking about dropping DRM (Digital Restrictions Management) consumer control. Then it apparently decided that wasn’t on - unless it was paid for its efforts.

However, now another Big 4 music cartel member, France’s Vivendi Universal, seems to have picked the up the ball.

It’s, “quietly testing the sale of DRM-free digital music with ‘L’Olympia,’ the first live album of French singer/composer Emilie Simon,” says Billboard.biz.

“We are making some micro tests,” it has Universal Music France, Middle East and Mediterranean-South America president Pascal Negre saying, but, “This doesn’t change our overall policy on DRM.”

The album is sold in mp3 and WMA formats for €9.99 (today, about $13) on Simon’s site and has generated “a few dozen sales,” says Negre.

“The sale, however, is not advertised on Simon’s Web site and is not available elsewhere, with other French online retailers selling the album with DRM,” says Billboard.biz.

Now it’s up to the other two cartel members, Sony BMG (Japan and Germany) and Warner Music (US).

Slashdot it!

Also See:
paid for its efforts - EMI wants payment to drop DRM, February 26, 2007
Billboard.biz - Universal France Tests DRM-Free Music , March 7, 2007

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Tired of being treated like a criminal? They depend on you, not the other way around. Don’t buy their ‘product’. Do bug your local politicians. Use emails, snail-mail, phone calls, faxes, IM, stop them in the street, blog. And if you’re into organizing, organize petitions, organize demonstrations and then turn up on your local political rep’s doorstep, making sure you’ve contacted your local tv/radio station/newspaper in advance. Don’t just complain. Do something!

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