In the midst of everything we have to say about DRM-locked music, I thought services that allow you to purchase DRM-free music should be highlighted. One way to sensitise people against DRM is to help them access services that can provide them what they need without the defects of DRM. One such service in India is the SaReGaMa Music Store.
SaReGaMa India Ltd., is the custodian of over half of all the music ever recorded in India. This makes us the premier Music destination for South Asian Music and the most authoritative source of the region’s musical heritage. Saregama has the largest music archive - and catalogue - in India.
From: http://www.saregama.com/static/about_us
Their music store enables you to purchase music and download them in the MP3 and WAV formats. As far as I can tell, all their content is available without any DRM or encryption.
On their terms of use page, they say:
Content Usage
You are authorised to use the Content only for personal, non-commercial use, and you may not redistribute, transfer, assign, sublicense or use the content in any other manner whatsoever
Some of the content provided through this website may be protected using security frameworks that limit your usage of the content. You agree that you shall not violate or attempt to violate any security components related to this website. You agree not to attempt to or aid / support another person to reverse-engineer, circumvent, ‘hack’, disassemble or otherwise alter or interfere with any of the security components related to this website or any Content provided through it. Any such security component is an essential part of the content and may not be removed without copyright infringement of such content.
Content may also be provided in formats without any digital rights management or security component. Such content may be used in manners reasonably necessary for personal and non-commercial use.
I personally feel that their terms are fairly standard for anyone selling any type of content. Audio CDs and printed books ship with similar terms of service. The second point listed above does refer to “security components” and implies that DRM may be involved with some of their content. However, I wasn’t able to search for and encounter any such content in the limited time I spent searching for it.
On the other hand, their downloads are quick and smooth. Their search engine works well. They enable you search music based on almost any parameter you would need - including mood.
I purchased this album in the "HD" format - which basically means that they don't compress the music and provide it to you in the WAV format.
However, selling mainstream music in DRM-free formats is a great start. And if
you care about Indian music, them you will definitely relish this opportunity
to rebuild your digital music library without any DRM-lock music being a part
of it. I sincerely hope more publishers follow their lead.
Kannada Songs on Saregama
