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DRM-Free MP3s Coming to Yahoo, URGE

By the Betanews Staff | Published July 24, 2007, 2:00 PM

MusicNet, the company that powers the song libraries of Yahoo! Music Unlimited and URGE, said Tuesday that it will make available over 1 million tracks in MP3 format without digital rights management. The move follows Apple offering DRM-free songs in its own AAC format through iTunes.

Like Apple, MusicNet will offer the song catalog of EMI -- the only top record label currently willing to drop DRM requirements -- as well as several leading independent labels including Righteous Babe, Nettwerk, Madacy, Nitro, and others. By using the MP3 format as opposed to Windows Media, MusicNet will enable customers of Yahoo and URGE to transfer their songs to practically any portable media player they choose. Pricing and a specific launch date for the MP3 option has not been set, but MusicNet said it will happen this quarter.

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drumcat
Jul 24, 2007 - 6:24 PM

It's time for AAC to start getting some support. AAC is NOT apple proprietary. It's a ton better than mp3, and is an open standard. Let's get m4a to mean music for all...

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bobthegoat2001
Jul 25, 2007 - 6:20 PM edited

Actually AAC is owned by Fraunhofer, the same people that created MP3.

AAC is better than MP3, but I like Ogg the best. It actually is an open format. I think it could be even better than AAC. If you encode a song in AAC at 64kbit/s and also in Ogg at ~64kbit/s the is a decent difference.

My iAudio MP3 player is compatible with Ogg too. iRiver is compatible too.

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bobthegoat2001
Jul 24, 2007 - 4:00 PM

Nice. I think more people would rather have MP3 over AAC because of compatibility. Right now the only MP3 players compatible with AAC is the iPod and the PSP.

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TimothyAaron08
Jul 24, 2007 - 2:37 PM

Question: Is the Zune Music Store (or whatever it's called) powered by MusicNet too?

If so, any word if they plan to change anything related to the Zune Music Store as part of this announcement?

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darkzero63
Jul 24, 2007 - 3:00 PM

Zune is not related to urge...

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ladylust
Jul 24, 2007 - 6:17 PM

I think MS just promotes Urge within their Media Player. I dont know if they are part of it.

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ogman
Jul 25, 2007 - 11:18 AM

Urge is owned by MTV and they have a partnership agreement with Microsoft.

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