The Music Wars: New Digital Album Formats

Lines are being drawn as we speak with the launch of CMX from Sony, Warner, Universal and EMI and Cocktail from Apple. These are two new formats based on the idea of you downloading a full album rather than singles. Both formats will be laced with lyrics and videos and others features to make the album experience a full one. This spells perhaps the death knell of the CD. The four music big players approached Apple about the new format CMX and were rebuffed by Apple who in return are working on their own format called Cocktail. One interesting note is that CMX is not compatible with any Apple product. Will the music dictators and the Apple be able to convince you to buy full albums and change the way you listen to music. This is going to be a hard sell. Both formats will include liner notes, lyrics, artwork and videos along with the mp3’s in a single download. I am sure there will be advertising of some form in the future. They are claiming both will have soft launches, perhaps a trial balloon to feel out the market. Where will CMX land if it will not work on Apple products? The record companies want more control of their catalogs, they don’t want Apple to control the stream of all the music.

See also:

Major labels preparing new digital album format

Sony, Warner, Universal and EMI to launch CMX album download format

Record companies have a trick up their sleeve for downloads