Labels prepare new music file format

Get your DRM jokes in now; the big four record labels are preparing a new file format for the digital age.

The so-called .CMX file, due in November, is an answer to Apple's "Cocktail" project, which will fuse traditional music files with liner notes, interactive booklets and possible perks such as free ringtones. Both projects are an attempt to incentivize full album purchases over individual song downloads.

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Earlier, the Financial Times reported that the labels and Apple were working together on Cocktail, but a story in The Times suggests that's no longer the case. An unnamed label rep said that Apple actually created Cocktail after hearing about the .CMX format.

"Apple at first told us that they were not interested, but now they have decided to do their own, in case ours catches on," the rep told the Times.

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As The Guardian points out, catching on may have a lot do with iTunes and iPod compatibility. We've seen many a music file languish because it can't be played on Apple's game-changing music player, and if the two formats are competing I can't see why Apple would cooperate.

More importantly, I'm leery of any file format that's being pushed forward by the record labels, who only begrudgingly agreed to let iTunes carry DRM-free tracks if prices were also raised for the most popular songs. The source doesn't say what kind of copyright protection will go into these files, but I wouldn't count on a format that allows playback on an unlimited number of devices.

Keep in mind that the stories on both formats aren't officially confirmed, so there's a chance one of the sources doesn't have the facts straight. Still, it does seem that there is a push to sell consumers on full album downloads.

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To get me to budge, someone will have to package these interactive perks with a lossless format. If I'm going to pay that much at a time for music, I don't want it to be lossy and disposable.

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