Consumers pay more for DRM free tracks

A DBD member, Daniel, wrote me recently pointing my attention to to Sound on Sound magazine's August 2006 issue, specifically a Steve Hillage quote on page 95:

"many indie sites sell DRM-free MP3s, seeing DRM as an unnecessary inconvenience. Another option, adopted on System 7's site, is to give fans the choice; DRM versions of tracks, at 79p each, are cheaper than the 99p non-DRM MP3s, reflecting DRM's inherent inconvenience. However, Steve Hillage says they're now moving to MP3 only, because the MP3 files have been outselling the DRM ones by a ratio of 15 to one, despite the latter's cheaper price."

Daniel explained:

Steve Hillage is a well-respected professional musician and guitarist, having played with Gong in the 70's and the Orb in the 90's, as well as releasing a number of solo albums on Atlantic and Virgin Records. His electronic dance music project System 7, a duo with his wife Miquette Giraudy, has been selling music on-line since 1999 on the System 7.