Fri Aug 10, 1:24 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Vivendi's (VIV.PA) Universal Music Group, the world's largest music label, on Thursday said it will test the sale of songs from artists such as Amy Winehouse, 50 Cent and the Black Eyed Peas, without customary copy-protection technology.

The company said in a statement it will allow the sale of thousands of its albums and tracks available in MP3-form without copy-protection software, known as digital rights management, over a trial period.

Universal's test-run marks a departure from the music industry's common practice, with most major recording studios insisting that music sellers use DRM technology to curb online piracy.

"The experiment will run from August to January and analyze such factors as consumer demand, price sensitivity and piracy in regards to the availability of open MP3s," Universal said.

Vendors including Google (GOOG.O), Wal-Mart (WMT.N), and Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN.O), will participate in the DRM-free trial, Universal said.

But missing from the list of participants is Apple Inc.'s (AAPL.O) iTunes online music store, the third largest music retailer in the United States.

Songs purchased through the program can be played on a range of MP3 players, including Apple's popular iPod, Universal said.

Just ot of curiosity, does anyone here care about DRM as much as they care about bitrates and sound quality? You can work around the DRM, but you can't do much to "fix" a lower quality mp3.

That's a good question. I haven't found a way to get around Windows Media DRM in the digital domain, but I don't know of anything else I can't easily defeat.

However I THINK that techinically in the USA, we're breaking (VERY RECENT) laws (that should be repealed) by the act of cracking the drm.

On the other hand, I agree, poor sound quality (ie lossy) can't really be repaired at all.

There are several shows I want from Wolfgang's Vault, but I refuse to pay for MP3.

I wish there were a way to get people (the mainstream, the general public) excited about sound quality the way they go ga-ga over picture quality.

Agreed. Most people think I'm nuts when I talk about sonic differences between cables, & even my teenage sister who has clearly heard the difference between cd & MP3 chooses MP3 due to portability. She actually buys cd's & then rips them to mp3 before listening to them.......

It's sad, but we live in a Fast-Music Nation. I love the term "McMusic" -- it fits so well.

It does.