IHT: MP3 Sales from a Major Label within Four Months

Amidst the wheeling and dealing going on at the Midem conference in France comes another indication that the DRM albatross will soon vacate the tired, aching necks major record labels, with one label making a big move in that direction within the next four months. Most people seem to think that that label is EMI, although according to John Kennedy (head of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry), the other majors are also entertaining the idea of selling music that people can actually play. From the International Herald Tribune,

"'Each of the majors is wrestling with the advantages and thedisadvantages of going with MP3s without any restrictions at all... But I think this is anexperimental year.'"

I believe that. But I have a problem with the next paragraph in the article:

"Most independent record labels already sell tracks digitally compressedin MP3 format, which can be downloaded, e-mailed or copied tocomputers, cellphones, portable music players and compact discs withoutlimit."

I certainly agree with the compatibility point, but do most indie labels really already sell tracks in the MP3 format? The author might be talking about eMusic, which certainly stocks a lot of music from indie labels, but in my experience, most indie labels don't actually sell music in the MP3 format, but rather give away a few sample MP3s (besides, eMusic's subscriptions don't technically qualify as sales, and they don't make much money for labels and bands anyway). That said, indie labels are surely more likely to embrace MP3 sales, which is one reason the majors are finally going away.

Other highlights from the IHT's Midem article include the RIAA's Mitch Bainwol complaining as usual that home taping is killing music and pretending that DRM is not antithetical to interoperability, as well as Yahoo's head of Music David Goldberg pondering the "level of pain" (i.e. sales dropoffs) that will be required to convince the majors to sell unprotected MP3s.