Unexpected Partners in DRM Fight: Amazon and Wal-Mart

Two of the world’s biggest heavyweights in electronic music distribution, Amazon and Wal-Mart, recently handed the music industry separate (though one in spirit) ultimatums – make your catalogs available in MP3 (DRM-free) format…or else. According to Ars Technica, among the companies to receive ultimatums were Warner Music and Sony BMG. .

Wal-mart’s store discarded DRM back in August, providing DRM-free tracks from EMI and Universal. Amazon’s MP3 store, DRM-free since its inception in September, also features tracks from over 20,000 independent labels in addition to Universal and EMI.

With Amazon spreading the word next year in a big way for DRM-free media and Wal-Mart trying to knock some sense into more major labels, 2008 is already looking to be a strong year for the fight against DRM.

Source: Ars Technica