First DRM-Free label on iTunes

I’m a big proponent of DRM-Free content, for reasons that are largely echoed in many articles and research initiatives throughout the web, namely that DRM doesn’t actually protect the content and in the end only hurts the honest consumer, because the dishonest consumer just finds a program to crack the DRM scheme and free their music anyways. Steve Jobs’ recent open letter discussing the future of DRM pretty much sums it all up, and it was nice to hear it come from the company that seems to have the best hold on the digital music market. Well, it seems at least one record label was listening: EMI has decided to freed its music from DRM on iTunes – in the near future you will be able to download music from any EMI artist (save The Beatles – I wonder why?) without any digital rights management. Finally, it’s starting – let’s hope that others follow suit.