News and Commentary
A reason to buy
18 Sep 2002
Universal is releasing the new Bon Jovi album on special CDs that may combat piracy and encourage fans to buy the CD instead of downloading the MP3. But the CDs aren’t encrypted, disabled, or altered to keep you from ripping them.
Instead of treating their customers like crooks, Universal has decided to reward people for buying the CD. Each CD will include a unique serial number that can be used to sign up for exclusive offerings at Bon Jovi’s site. Fans who buy the CD will get the first shot at concert tickets, be able to download unreleased tracks, and more.
Says Business 2.0, "It’s one of the first times a record label has shown that it can compete with free—that is, the free music widely available on the dozens of file-swapping programs—by offering products and services that consumers can’t get anywhere else. It’s also one of the first times that a label has attempted to fight digital piracy by doing something other than filing lawsuits or targeting individual users." (Business 2.0 - The Music Industry Turns a Corner)