Rhapsody Trades DRM For MTV

There’s a lot going on with Rhapsody these days. One of the more important moves being made by the company is their decision to provide customers with DRM-free MP3s for purchase, a choice made with the hope that Rhapsody will become the number one source for MP3s on the internet.

There’s a lot going on with Rhapsody these days. One of the more important moves being made by the company is their decision to provide customers with DRM-free MP3s for purchase, a choice made with the hope that Rhapsody will become the number one source for MP3s on the internet.

The move from DRM to unprotected was prompted by Rhapsody’s recent deal with MTV Networks, which has the network using Rhapsody as the sole source of its new venture into MP3 sales. The $50 million dollar deal also involves all four major record labels, and RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser believes it will “open up the digital music marketplace.”

In addition to that of MTV, Rhapsody is also set to operate Verizon Wireless’s VCast MP3 store. The Verizon store will also provide DRM-free options that allow customers to transfer songs between various phones, computers, and MP3 devices.

To add further flexibility, Rhapsody also provides customers with the option of streaming up to 25 songs per month through a web-based Flash player. The new service even allows streaming without a Rhapsody account, though non-account holders must register if they wish to purchase the music they are streaming.

All of these recent changes made by Rhapsody are part of their “Music Without Limits” initiative. The company hopes to provide customers with an easy-to-use, versatile means of discovering and acquiring music, while simultaneously edging out competitors such as Napster and iTunes.