Apple iTunes Sells DRM Free Songs, Music

Starting yesterday, Apple began selling songs in its iTunes store without copyright protection.

Purchasing songs without DRM (digital rights management) protection software will mean that you will be able to play these songs anywhere, on different types of players.

Apple is starting first with songs from music company EMI Group. The music available includes songs from Frank Sinatra, Norah Jones, Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, and the Rolling Stones.

The DRM-free songs are higher quality than past songs Apple has offered for download. They also cost 30 cents more than the normal 99 cent iTunes songs.

I urge you to support Apple's trend-setting move and help to make this the new standard!

(To check it out, click the banner below.)

Help Save Internet Radio - A Response from Senator Bob Corker

This is a follow up from my previous post. Senator Bob Corker and his team have responded to me regarding Internet radio. His response is below:

Thank you for contacting my office to share your concerns about the increase of music royalty rates. Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.

As you may know, all decisions regarding music royalty rates are determined by three judges appointed to the Copyright Royalty Board. On March 2, 2007, the board set new rates for webcasting between 2006-2010. In response, internet radio operators requested a rehearing and postponement of the May 15th deadline by which they would be expected to pay the new rates. The rehearing request was rejected by the Copyright Royalty Board who stated that new evidence had not been presented to support reconsideration of the ruling.

Like you, I agree that the implications of this ruling need to be considered, and I assure you that I will continue to monitor the situation. Should relative legislation come before the United States Senate, I will certainly take into consideration your concerns.

Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me over the next six years.

Sincerely,

Bob Corker
United States Senator

Initials/kr

Help Save Internet Radio!

I don't typically post many call to actions here in my blog, but there's something today that I would like for you to consider:

As you may have heard, recent US legislation has tripled the royalty fees that are placed on Internet radio. This legislation threatens to force out sites that offer streaming radio for free.

Included would be sites like http://www.pandora.com/ (LOVE Pandora) and http://www.allmemphismusic.com/ (I work on this one).

If you love Internet radio as much as I do, you NEED to sign the Saving Internet Radio petition. It will send a custom letter from you to your representative expressing your concern.

Without heading down too much of a rant, when radio first started, it was very entrepreneurial... since, it's become corporate. The Internet is very much the same; humble beginnings resembled the wild west. Since then, more rules and regulations (admittedly, some are necessary) make the Internet a more controlled and corporate place to surf. It's important that something as basic as streaming music is preserved in a way that's affordable for everyone, not just a select few.

I filled the letter out and messages were sent on my behalf to Senator Lamar Alexander, Senator Bob Corker, and Representative Steve Cohen, all from Tennessee.

Thanks to Towform for bringing this site to my attention!

Happy Listening!