Stereogum Home

 

November 16, 2005

Sony BMG Recalls Copy-Protected CDs

Responding in part to this lawsuit and a myriad of customer complaints,
the music conglomerate Sony BMG will be recalling its copy-protected discs, and offering an exchange to customers who bought them. The New York Times reports:

"We share the concerns of consumers regarding discs with XCP content-protected software, and, for this reason, we are instituting a consumer exchange programme and removing all unsold CDs with this software from retail outlets," Sony BMG said in an statement.

The XCP software used by Sony BMG, which was developed by British software developers First4Internet, leaves the back door open for malicious online hackers.

Sony BMG, in a separate statement, also announced it would distribute a program to remove the software from a PC where it jeopardizes security.

This doesn't mean that copy-protected CDs are a thing of the past, though. As USA Today explains, the virus-inducing XCP protocol isn't the only means of trying to get at Apple by screwing its customers that Sony BMG employs. Remember, kids, that Sony and Apple aren't mad at you, they're mad at each other, and sometimes Sonys and Apples say things they don't mean when they stop loving each other. But this isn't your fault! Sony's just mad that Apple created the modern-day walkmen, and are trying to protect their commercial interests (uh, I mean, artists' rights) in the portable audio device market. Ironically, Apple computers can easily circumvent these protections and rip the discs to MP3 or whatever anyway.

Posted at 10:20 AM




12 Comments

Does this mean I finally get to listen to the new Burt Bacharach? 'Cause I was just coming to terms with its iTunes incompatibility.

Posted by: scott at 11/16/05 11:16 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

no scott
forbidden!

Posted by: w. at 11/16/05 11:19 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Is there a list of CDs that will be exhangeable? I have some discs that don't get along with itunes very well and would love to exchange them for ones minus the protection protocol.

Posted by: Dave at 11/16/05 11:28 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

If you read Sony's release on the website, they pass all the blame to the software company that designed the XCP software, like we are supposed to believe that they had no idea. Their Atrac format will never catch on, and not being compatible with Iods is only going to hurt them. I hope they get sued, greedy fucking record companies.

Posted by: David Brent at 11/16/05 11:39 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

This is only rounnd one of the lawsuits. If I were an Artist on Sony BMG I would sue them too. Who knows how many people didn't buy their album because they were afraid of this virus.

Even if your CD wasn't one of the copyprotected ones, people may think it is.

Also if I were a shareholder of Sony I would sue them as well. Happens all the time and this is clearly grossly inadequate management.

Posted by: Ramie at 11/16/05 11:53 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Sony BMG apparently *wants* to put itself out of business.

Posted by: memememe at 11/16/05 12:12 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

apple should worry about their own legal woes with Apple Corps, Ltd. (Beatles record label). they stand to lose alot of cash.

Posted by: EasyP at 11/16/05 2:02 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Sony/BMG shouldn't have any problem replacing the CDs - their plant in China was probably also producing unprotected pirates by the millions as well.

Just have to give the plant manager a call, ask about production on that "midnight" shift.

Posted by: colin at 11/16/05 2:39 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Boycott Sony/Columbia & BMG/RCA this holiday season.

Posted by: dealbreaker at 11/16/05 9:24 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

If Sony is planning to release every damn record in their catalog from their factories in XCP in the future, I may as well figure out what artists were on a Sony record label and buy their XCP-free CDs now.

As for this article, I still laugh when I read the ending.

Posted by: Penny Woods at 11/17/05 7:51 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

You can bring back the CD but the malware will always be on your computer unless you reformat the hard drive.

Posted by: F Sony at 11/17/05 1:20 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

thank you very much for your help. You guys 74408 rock, thanks again.

Posted by: Tuki Medaber at 10/03/06 3:27 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Leave a comment


Staff

  • Founder/Editor-In-Chief: Scott Lapatine
  • Executive Editor: Amrit Singh
  • Senior Writer: Brandon Stosuy
  • Sales: Angela Williams

Info

Contact

Get Flash to see our mp3 player. Here are our mp3s: Department Of Eagles - In Ear Park (»)
To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie - In Peoples' Homes (»)
Girls - Solitude (»)
The Black Heart Procession - Rats (»)
John Vanderslice - Fetal Horses (»)
Slaraffenland - Meet And Greet (»)
Cold Cave - Life Magazine (»)
Blue Roses - Doubtful Comforts (»)
Lightning Dust - Never Seen (»)
Crocodiles - Summer Of Hate (»)
Fleet Foxes - Blue Spotted Tail (Live On BBC6) (»)
Megafaun - Kaufman's Ballad (»)
The Antlers - Two (»)
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Wind Phoenix (»)
The Octopus Project - Wet Gold (»)
Mew - Repeaterbeater (»)
Rubies - Diamonds On Fire (»)
The Antlers - Two (»)
Spiral Stairs - Maltese Terrier (»)

Progress Report logo
Commercial Appeal logo
Premature Evaluation logo
Band to Watch logo
Quit Your Day Job logo
The Outsiders logo
The 'Gum Drop logo