RealNetworks has this week announced its ambitious intention to “turbocharge the digital music industry” by launching the new “Music Without Limits” initiative through the Rhapsody MP3 music download service.
RealNetworks launches DRM-free "Music Without Limits" via Rhapsody. Image: RealNetworks.
More pointedly, Seattle-based RealNetworks is hoping the new initiative will make a significant industry impact and help increase the momentum shift presently leaning away from the always-contentious Digital Right Management (DRM) copyright protection system.
The prominent Internet media delivery company also wants to see music fans able to embrace the streaming of full-length songs while also afforded the ability to purchase MP3 tracks from anywhere they choose -- which includes any and all online music retailers and also a wide range of leading social networks.
According to RealNetworks chairman and CEO Rob Glaser, partnering with the likes of iLike, Yahoo!, MTV Networks and Verizon Wireless will help the Music Without Limits initiative connect consumers with digital music wherever they are and however they want to receive it.
“Until now, legal digital music has suffered from severe limitations on where consumers could buy it and how they could use it,” commented Glaser. “‘Music Without Limits’ fixes those problems and will make digital music easier and more valuable for consumers.”
Available to users of Rhapsody (and its listed partners, which includes CMT.com and VH1.com), music lovers can listen to and purchase their desired MP3 tracks without the added annoyance of DRM protection. Also, any song or complete album purchased through the Rhapsody MP3 store can be played back on any (yes, any) MP3 player -- that includes the notoriously restrictive Apple iPod.
Visitors to Rhapsody’s expansive MP3 Store can also enjoy an enhanced discovery experience by listening to full-length songs (up to 25 per month per user) prior to purchase rather than the brief 30-second samples found on other music download sites. Further to that versatility, all purchased tracks and albums can be seamlessly downloaded into Rhapsody, RealPlayer or iTunes.
Rhapsody will power full-length music streaming through social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, hi5, Orkut and Bebo thanks to its partnership with iLike, which will provide visiting networkers with the ability to instantly purchase song tracks via the integration of a new purchase button.
In related news, Rhapsody and Verizon Wireless have announced their DRM-free “V CAST” mobile music service, which will bring music download access to the growing number of V CAST-enabled handsets that support subscriptions. Interestingly, any track purchased across the air to a waiting handset will also be sent in a DRM-free format directly to the user’s waiting PC.
The Rhapsody MP3 portfolio offers up in excess of 5 million song choices provided by all four of the industry’s major publishers -- namely Universal Music, Sony BMG, Warner Music and EMI. It also offers a wide selection of content from independent labels too. The majority of MP3 tracks and albums available through Rhapsody sell for $0.99 and $9.99 respectively.
View blog reactions
There are currently no comments for this article. Be the first to comment! (no registration required)
Advertising
There are currently no comments for this article. Be the first to comment! (no registration required)