Metallica changes file-sharing tune, offering exclusive songs online

June 5, 2003

Savannah lets us know that Metallica, the popular heavy-metal band, is offering songs from its new album exclusively on the Internet. Quite a big turnaround for the band that in 2000 sued file-sharing software Napster for copyright infringement:

The heavy metal band, whose first album in six years is scheduled for release Thursday, is making some tracks available online as well through a partnership with Speakeasy, the Seattle-based high-speed Internet access provider said.

Customers who buy Metallica's new compact disc, "St. Anger," will find a code inside the packaging allowing them to view, listen to and download exclusive, unreleased music tracks from a Metallica Web site.

"We've always wanted our fans to experience our music online," drummer Lars Ulrich said. "But up until now, the existing distribution methods have not passed the kind of 'quality' standards our fans have come to expect from us."

I wonder if the songs offered on the Metallica website will have some kind of copy-protection like DRM (Digital Rights Management).

Source: Canoe