Amazon to launch DRM-free music service

Amazon has announced that it will launch a DRM-free digital music store later this year. The store will offer “millions of songs,” from more than 12,000 record labels, all in DRM-free MP3 format. The store will include EMI Music’s catalog. “Our MP3-only strategy means all the music that customers buy on Amazon is always DRM-free and plays on any device,” Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder and CEO, said. “We’re excited to have EMI joining us in this effort and look forward to offering our customers MP3s from amazing artists like Coldplay, Norah Jones and Joss Stone.” EMI CEO Eric Nicoli added, “They [Amazon.com] have been an important retail partner of ours, and we are delighted they will be offering consumers EMI’s new premium DRM-free downloads in their new digital music store.” Further details such as launch date and pricing were not available.