DG Loses the DRM

Deutsche Grammophon, the historic classical label owned by the Universal Music Group, has become the largest one of its kind to stop using digital rights management for online music sales.

DG is selling MP3s at 320 kilobits per second in its own brand-new online music store. The move continues Universal's revolt against what music-industry executives see as the tyrannical one-size-fits-all pricing of Apple's iTunes store.

Among the featured wares as this story was being written were pianist Helene Grimaud's performance of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto with the Staatskapelle Dresden Orchestra. The site also features downloads of 600 out-of-print CDs plus online exclusives.

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