drm

FAQ about Amazon's MP3 download service. No DRM, so you can put on any player, burn CD's, copy to multiple computers. License is for PERSONAL non-commercial use.

File are encoded at 256 kbps - excellent fidelity to the original CD recording (they use variable bit rate encoding for most songs so this is an average).

I also like that they support downloading via the browser with NO downloaded software needed (though they do have a downloader application that will help organize all your amazon purchases into an "Amazon MP3" folder).

Quoted: POPUMP 提供所有音樂創作者(個人、工作室或獨立廠牌)除了傳統的創作發行管道外，將多了一個更多自主性的選擇，讓作品透過此數位音樂發行平台，快速廣泛的傳送至各銷售通路，並可清楚了解應得的報酬。

透過Popump數位音樂發行平台，創作者的作品只須經由滾石移動的音樂製作團隊審核後，系統即可將創作者上傳之音檔自動轉成多種手機音樂產品，如全曲音樂、手機鈴聲之檔案格式與DRM加密保護，迅速上架至滾石移動之各大銷售通路，如各電信業者、入口網站以及其他合作通路，或發行成唱片，創作者可決定發行區域，除了台灣區域，目前還有大陸以及日本等地，大大縮短以往需先透過版權公司收歌，再等待唱片公司選歌後才有機會發行的過程，從收歌至發行有可能很快，也有可能永無機會發表。

You can now by Norah Jones and other artists songs for less than $1 per song, and NO DRM. Thank you Amazon!

Quoted: Amazon.com: Norah Jones: MP3 Downloads

Quoted: But what the world of unencrypted music giveth, DRM-locked media can taketh away.

The 7 lessons of distribution for authors:

Quoted: 1) Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors and creative artists than piracy.
2) Piracy is progressive taxation.
3) Customers want to do the right thing, if they can.
4) Shoplifting is a bigger threat than piracy.
5) File sharing networks don't threaten book, music, or film publishing. They threaten existing publishers.
6) "Free" is eventually replaced by a higher-quality paid service.
7) There's more than one way to do it.

iTunes needs to start offering DRM-free music in mp3 format. Until then, I'm shopping elsewhere (like Wal-Mart).

Quoted: The cost of mp3s sold on Wal-Mart are a little less expensive than what we’ve typically seen with other services, putting the price of one song at 94 cents as opposed to 99 cents, or even the initial price for DRM-free mp3s set at $1.29.

Quoted: Furthermore, Google is not refunding the total cost of the videos. To take advantage of the credit Google is offering, you have to spend more money, and furthermore, you have to spend it with a merchant that supports Google Checkout.

Rip the DRM from your iTunes tracks!