Apple Offers DRM Free Music At A Premium

Apple is now promising High-quality, DRM-free music via it's new iTunes Plus offering. "With iTunes Plus, you get high-quality, 256-Kbps AAC encoding. All free of burn limits and digital rights management (DRM)." The company says that millions of tracks are available from all four major music labels and thousands of independent artists. The new scheme also allows you to upgrade your existing iTunes purchases to iTunes Plus "Just pay the 30¢ per song upgrade price. (Music video upgrades are 60¢ and entire albums can be upgraded for 30 percent of the album price.)" Check out what else is new in iTunes 8 here.

YouTube - Calling All Musicians

If you've ever aspired to play your music in front of a large audience on a world stage, then YouTube is looking for you. Yesterday YouTube put the call out for musicians to join the YouTube Symphony Orchestra. According to the Official Google Blog "This is a chance to perform alongside world-renowned conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, learn from composer Tan Dun and many members of the London Symphony Orchestra, and consult with pianist Lang Lang." Video entries will be combined into a collaborative virtual performance, and people around the world will choose their favorites to perform at Carnegie Hall in April 2009.

Check out the YouTube Symphony Channel.