DRM News

In a bold move that will no doubt shake up the entire music industry, Universal Music Group has said that they will be bringing in a new CD pricing structure, with $10 being the new high water mark for standard CDs.

Clearly, this is a massive move that will shake up the entire…err…what’s that? Wait, WHAT? It’s the year 2010?! Are you sure?

Oh. Well in that case, it’s a move that could best be described as quaint, almost to the point of being cute. Seriously, did UMG’s executives just awaken from some sort of cryo-sleep state they were put in to fifteen years ago? I’m sure they’re a little annoyed at the total lack of flying cars by now.

Is this a bad move? No. It just seems odd, considering the current landscape of music and music sales. And yet, their rivals aren’t exactly thrilled.

On March 16, executives at the other majors were nervous about the UMG move, calling around to accounts for information on the move. Privately, some appeared annoyed by the move. "Why does Universal feel the need to get below $10?" a senior distribution executive at a competing major asked.

There is no confirmation of the claim that after saying this, the executive in question lit a cigar with a one hundred dollar bill and then laughed while stomping a ‘common man’ to death.

The truth is, CD’s always were grossly overpriced. Physical format music has ALWAYS been grossly overpriced. So this is a nice move, even if it seems to have come from someone using the ol’ wayback machine and forgetting about that whole ‘digital music’ thing.