UMG Testing Sale of Unrestricted Tracks

LOS ANGELES -- Universal Music Group said Thursday it will sell digital music from artists such as Sting, 50 Cent and Stevie Wonder without the customary copy-protection technology for a limited time.

Tracks from thousands of albums will be available for purchase on the recording artists' Web sites and through several established online music retailers, although Universal is excluding Apple Inc.'s iTunes store, the No. 1 online music retailer.

The songs, however, will play on Apple's market-leading iPods, as well as the slew of other devices compatible with the MP3 format.

Although many independent music labels have for years sold their tunes without copy restrictions, the major recording companies have insisted on so-called digital-rights management, or DRM, technology in hopes of curbing online piracy.

Earlier this year, Britain's EMI Group PLC became the first of the major labels to embrace DRM-free tunes, letting Apple sell versions of songs with higher audio quality and without any built-in copying hurdles.

The test by Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group, while only encompassing a portion of its catalog, is significant because Universal is the world's largest recording company. That raises the prospect that other major labels could follow.

"Clearly the handwriting is on the wall for DRM-protected content," said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with Jupiter Research. "We are seeing more of the players fall as they recognize that it's just a hassle for the consumer and doesn't really help the piracy problem."

DRM technology is designed to block or set limits on copying and CD burning.

Although DRM can help stem illegal copying, it can also frustrate consumers by limiting the type of device or number of computers on which they can listen. Copy-protected songs sold through iTunes generally won't play on devices other than the iPod, and iPods won't play DRM-enabled songs bought at rival music stores.

By excluding iTunes from its test, Universal is looking to undermine Apple's hold on the online music market, Gartenberg said.

"There's no doubt these guys are poking a stick at Apple," he said.

Universal Music spokesman Peter LoFrumento said, however, that the company isn't selling DRM-free tracks on iTunes for now so it could use the Apple store as a control group for measuring the impact on pricing, piracy and sales.