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UK music retailers say ‘DRM is killing us’
Author: Tim SmalleyPublished: 22nd November 2007
A spokesperson for the UK's entertainment retailers has said that DRM is killing the industry.
A recent study revealed that that only 150 million tracks have been downloaded in the last three years, meaning that the average Brit has bought less than one track per year during that period. That’s undeniably a sorry state for an industry that was once flourishing.
Because of the many different (and incompatible) DRM mechanisms employed by the recording industry, many consumers are resorting to other means of acquiring the music, as they fear that the tracks they’re purchasing won’t work in all of their electronics devices.
The issue here is that the recording industry believes that, by implementing more invasive copy protection methods, it can wipe out the ever-increasing file sharing community. Many of you believe that this simply isn’t the case and, I’m sure you’ll be pleased to hear that music retailers seem to be more in touch with the consumer’s needs. They realise that DRM is one of the major reasons why their sales figures are on the decline.
ERA director general Kim Bayley told the Financial Times that the DRM mechanisms employed by the recording industry are “stifling growth and working against the consumer interest.” Bayley also highlighted that record labels were quick to complain when the slide in CD sales wasn’t offset by digital music sales growth, but their choice to adopt DRM mechanisms “might have added to the slow take up of legal digital services.”
Do you think the recording industry will ever listen to its consumers? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
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Comments (23)Stats: 0.142 seconds
they will literally be dead before they realise its too late to do anything about it. oh well.
damn you apple and your stupid ipod, its all your fault
Unfortunately it's not the right people realising it :(
I think the honeymoon period for getting rich from music is coming to and end. As the digital age takes over we'll be listening to more varied and rarer music and not what the media try push into our ears.
why would people buy any of the rubbish that is being made at the moment
What?! You mean you don't cd's of every r'n'b single which all sound the same? Or a cover of a very recent release with the only difference being a back beat of 'm-dis, m-dis, m-dis' ;)
I agree. Along with what Jamie said, the get rich quick concept of the music industry isn't coming but *is* over, IMO. A hugely over saturated market of crap music compounded with draconian regulations being imposed on the consumer, along with a business model that is about 10 years out of date has sealed their fate.
"Bayley also highlighted that record labels were quick to complain when the slide in CD
sayssales wasn’t offset":)As has been said, not sure if this will encourage any of the record industry types to ditch DRM for good. :(
I don't agree at all, I do think most mainstream music is crap, but there is still a lot of good music being made, it's just not too popular anymore.
"I know you're out there. I can feel you now. I know that you're afraid... you're afraid of us. You're afraid of change. I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin. I'm going to hang up this phone, and then I'm going to show these people what you don't want them to see. I'm going to show them a world without DRM. A world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you. "
P.S sorry for the shameless Matrix quote;)
The masses dont know, and when they click that rip button in WMP or try to copy it to their MP3 player, or whatever - and they get an error message saying they cant, what do you think they do? (Hint: stop buying music?)
I can tell you that since Amazon has come around with their DRM-free, good quality MP3 site, I have purchased more music that I have in years. I don't plan on sharing the files all over the net or anything, but when I spend my money, I want to have full control of what I buy. This is what they are providing and I'll but stuff that I feel deserves my money as long as they don't treat me like a criminal when I'm not.
:D Damn pesky Industry types, trying to manipulate and control us. What do they think we are....batteries;)
but I must point out... My gun kata is greater than your kung fu.
Just go out and buy the CD for £8 on play. Im getting old and cynical, but really is the world full of idiots these days or what?