New York - Major record label EMI Group has ended discussions with major online music sellers on the possibility of selling songs without digital rights management (DRM) restrictions, as the parties were unable to agree on advance payments for songs sold as unprotected MP3s, Bloomberg News reported, citing people briefed on the offer.

EMI asked retailers for a large advance payment for the rights to sell its artists' songs without copy-protection technology, which included a premium based on the risk involved.

The retailers -- including Apple, Microsoft, RealNetworks, Yahoo and Amazon.com -- countered with a lower offer, which was rejected by EMI.

The talks are now on hold, Bloomberg's sources said.

EMI has recently experimented with releasing its artists' songs without DRM, offering singles from Norah Jones and Lily Allen as unprotected MP3s.

"The results have been positive," an EMI spokeswoman told Reuters earlier this month, adding, "lack of operability between a proliferating range of devices and hardware and the digital platforms for delivering music is more and more becoming an issue for music consumers and EMI has been engaging with our various partners to find a solution."

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/ynpm2v (Bloomberg News)

http://tinyurl.com/2grgvc (Reuters)

http://www.emigroup.com