EMI first to venture into brave new DRM-free world?

Just days after Steve Jobs unleashed his anti-DRM manifesto on the world, the music industry is abuzz with reports that one of the big four labels is preparing to sell a significant portion of its tracks online sans DRM. And that label is the London-based EMI. Allegedly, the label has been in negotiations for months and is close to reaching what would be a landmark decision for the music industry. This certainly makes sense as EMI has previously experimented with DRM-free downloads and was apparently pleased with the results. "The results have been positive," a spokesperson for the label said. "[The] lack of operability between a proliferating range of devices and hardware and the digital platforms for delivering music is more and more becoming an issue for music consumers and EMI has been engaging with our various partners to find a solution." If EMI does indeed choose to become the first major label to offer DRM-free downloads, it could lead to a sea change both in the music industry and would open up a new range of options for digital media consumers.

For more on EMI's expected announcement:
- see this Ars Technica article