The decision will allow
the sale by certain online retailers of thousands of albums and
tracks available in MP3-form without the protection.
Most major music publishers insist music sellers use DRM
technology to curb online piracy, effectively stopping the
recordings being unlawfully copied and shared by consumers.
Apart from Amy Winehouse, Universal's most popular artists
include 50 Cent and the Black Eyed Peas.
"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," a spokesman for Universal told
BBC News.
According to Universal, retailers including Google, Wal-Mart,
and Amazon.com, will participate in the DRM-free trial.
But participants do not include Apple iTunes online music store,
the third largest music retailer in the US.
DRM technology is controversial because it restricts a
consumer's use of bought music to a greater degree than records or
CDs do.
