The Lost News Post
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| - | Posted for all to see then mysteriously taken down... did Warner order it? Muse management? or did the request even come from Jeremy Clarkson himself? Who knows, what we do know is that for some reason the elite could still see it... | + | {{ismellfacts}}Posted for all to see then mysteriously taken down... did Warner order it? Muse management? or did the request even come from [[Jeremy Clarkson]] himself? Who knows, what we do know is that for some reason the elite could still see it... |
==The Article== | ==The Article== | ||
Current revision as of 23:26, 27 June 2007
 Yargh! I spy a fact in this 'ere article!There is too much |
The Article
"Warner Music accidently began selling DRM-free music last week, when it made Muse's latest single available in unprotected AAC format.
Muse began selling download-only single Map Of The Problematique on Monday morning. A digital bundle of the release – which included a live version of the song recorded at the previous weekend’s Wembley stadium show coupled with photos from the gig and a screen saver – was released through Muse’s official 7digital-powered site in DRM-protected WMA format only.
However, following complaints from fans on assorted Muse messageboards, lamenting the fact that the WMA format does not play on Macs or iPods, the Muse website on Tuesday began selling the bundle in DRM-free AAC format – contrary to Warner Music’s stance on DRM.
When questioned over the sale on Thursday morning, a Warner spokesman said the incident was a "mistake" and that the AAC version would be coming down "as soon as possible". However as Music Week went to press on Friday, the file was still available in DRM-free format.
Muse manager Anthony Addis refused to say whether the track would remain available in AAC format or not, simply saying, "It’s still there. You’ve got your eyes, you can see if it’s there or not. Everybody can see what has been done, and that’s the end of the situation. Our ideology was just to do something for the fans. Our fans are important, and this is a one-off, at this moment, for our fans."
By Friday the track had sold more than 5,000 copies and was on course for a Top 20 placing. Though the track is available through iTunes (with DRM), sales reports indicated that 80% of Map Of The Problematique’s total sales had come through the digital bundle – only available through the Muse’s website.
While iTunes is usually the leading retailer on digital-only releases, on this occasion the store did not offer the "Live at Wembley" version of the track or the "Wembley souvenir pack", hence its low sales.
Music Week understands that over the course of the week, digital bundles in the AAC format considerably outsold the WMA format, meaning the majority of Muse’s chart returns have been DRM-free.
Whether intentionally or not, each of the majors has now experimented with selling DRM-free music. Warner follows Universal, who in March began testing the sale of unprotected music with an Emilie Simon album in France, and Sony BMG, who last year offered music by Jessica Simpson DRM-free through Yahoo! Music. EMI abandoned DRM in April."
