7 Digital launches DRM-free music store

 

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By Matthew Sparkes

Posted on 4 Mar 2008 at 11:03

The UK-based music download site 7 Digital has become the first outlet in Europe to offer DRM free tracks from the Warner music catalogue.

The site now offers DRM-free tracks from two out of four of the major record companies, as 7 Digital had an existing deal with EMI.

"This deal will offer music fans a new level of flexibility in their use of tracks from our world-renowned artists," says John Reid, president of Warner Music Europe. "We believe that providing consumers with this assurance of interoperability will encourage sales of music downloads and ultimately help the development of new digital music experiences."

Although similar deals with Sony and Universal are yet to be signed, the site still offers DRM restricted tracks from these labels.

Online music retailers are competing to become the first in Europe to offer DRM-free tracks from all four major music labels.

Amazon has announced that it will launch its DRM-free music store internationally, but no date has been given.

The service was launched in the US in September last year, but has been beaten to market in the UK by 7 Digital.

Earlier this month Play launched its DRM-free store in the UK, but with the support of only one major label, EMI, the same label that struck a DRM-free deal with Apple's iTunes store.