Major labels prepare new digital file format for albums
Not content with MP3, AAC, WAV and FLAC, major record labels are said to be working on a new file format that will bundle extra content in an album file and change the way people access downloaded content.
Sony, Warner, Universal and EMI are reportedly preparing the new 'album format' that will include songs, lyrics, videos, notes and artwork.
Under a working title of CMX, the file format is planned to be launched in November, though whether Apple will be on board already looks in doubt.
According to The Times newspaper, Apple rejected CMX and instead began work on an in-house alternative called Cocktail. It is not clear how Cocktail and CMX will differ, other than ownership.
"Apple at first told us that they were not interested, but now they have decided to do their own, in case ours catches on," a label rep told The Times.
"Ours will be a file that you click on, it opens and it would have a brand new look, with a launch page and all the different options. When you click on it you're not just going to get the 10 tracks, you're going to get the artwork, the video and mobile products."
More choice or just more confusion for consumers? We shall see...
Comments
Well, it could be good in the long run, but the software better be flipping good.
I do think that there should be options to pkay the video online rather than download the entire lot, if my 1000 albums all had videos and other stuff, I would need so much storage that I couldn't have them all on my laptop, which is my goal for ease of use and transportation.
Anyway, just my 2p
Presumablt this'll make album downloads more expensive too?
Apart from that, it only remains for me to say zzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Another format ?
I have been testing Vinyl against cd for the last couple of days.
I have an old Kenwood turntable v cyrus cd6-the results are surprising-vinyl is winning me over on most recordings,but the cyrus comes very close.
Any thoughts on an old format now?
I am told Vinyl sales are on the increase?
You can already put lyrics, album art and track break in MP3. You can to any format really.
Doing it their way is a way to include ads' if you have to have software installed to read their format.
Do we really need any more formats?
Just stick to CDs. They still sound the best and you get a nice paper booklet with the artwork and liner notes.
Great, another format that won't be supported, add confusion and just generally make a mess of things.
Let me guess, it'll all work through some wonderful bloatware proprietary software that's completely incompatible with everything else!
What's wrong with just adding a 2nd CD to an album with all the tracks pre-ripped in MP3 & FLAC formats? Maybe a .html file with lyrics but videos? Does anyone really want those?
Is this just another attempt at DRM? They just never seem to learn...