Those crazy SonyBMG types have revealed more details of their first move into DRM-free digital music, the previously mentioned MP3 card promotion in North America.
The so called Platinum MusicPass will launch on 15 Jan via three retailers, and will enable music fans to buy special 'album packs' for various SonyBMG releases which include album artwork and a card containing a code which, when typed in at a special website, MusicPass.com, will enable the fan to download the tracks off the album as DRM-free MP3s.
The scheme, which will launch at Best Buy, Target and Fred's, before rolling out to Trans World and Winn-Dixie stores, and to various other retailers in Canada, is really more about combining the high street and digital record buying experience than launching SonyBMG into the DRM-free market. But the digital bit needs to be DRM-free because if a high street record shopper bought an album on CD they would be able to go home and rip tracks off it as DRM-free MP3s, meaning that the MusicPass version of a release would be much less desirable if the digital tracks did come with digital rights management technology.
The MusicPass cards will retail at $12.99, making them a bit cheaper than the average CD release. The major also plans to entice consumers by including exclusive bonus content on the card releases. Albums that will be available via the MusicPass programme at launch include Backstreet Boys' 'Unbreakable', Bruce Springsteen's 'Magic', Celine Dion's 'Taking Chances' and John Mayer's 'Continuum'.
Confirming the new venture, the major's VP Global Digital Gubbins, Thomas Hesse, told reporters: "We see MusicPass as a great way to bring digital music to the physical retail space. We believe it will have strong appeal for a broad range of consumers, and that it will ultimately expand both the digital and physical markets for music".
As previously reported, SonyBMG is the only one of the four majors yet to make a major announcement regarding the sale of its digital catalogue without DRM. In addition to the MusicPass promotion, it is expected to announce it will make some or all of its catalogue available via Amazon's MP3 platform sometime this month, spurred on by Warner's recent announcement that it was signing up to Amazon's DRM-free platform and Amazon's plans to launch a high profile MP3 promotion with Pepsi during this year's Superbowl.