7Digital Gets Warner Music DRM Free
Warner Music Group has made some recent staff changes at the roles marching them into the digital age. They’re also expanding their list of distribution partners with a deal struck between UK digital media shop 7Digital and Warner’s International division.
Effective starting today the entire Warner Music Catalog including music from Jackson Browne to James Blunt to the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be available without Digital Rights Management encryption in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain and Germany.
Consequence of the deal, 7digital will be the largest European outlet for MP3 digital music without copyright restrictions. Approximately 80% of the 3.5m songs carried by the store will be rights free and playable on almost all portable devices.
“This deal will offer music fans a new level of flexibility in their use of tracks form our world-renowned artists," John Reid, president of Warner Music Europe, said.
The deal will position 7digital, which recently closed an $8.5m financing round, to compete with Amazon’s larger retail footprint when the Amazon MP3 store opens its doors across the pond (it’s currently U.S. only) later this year.
7 Digital has a similar deal already in place with EMI. They also have signed licensing deals with Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones.
Discussions are reportedly ongoing to offer the catalogs of Sony BMG and Universal Music DRM-Free as well.
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