EMI, the world’s third largest record label, has announced that every song in its digital library will be available for download without the digital locks that have, in the past, prevented how many copies of a song you can make and which players you can use to hear your music.

The “premium” versions of the songs, free of Digital Rights Management, will be available on iTunes in May for $1.29, and will supposedly be twice the quality of the regular versions, still available for $.99.

Unfettered access to services you are willing to pay for is the wave of the future. What’s the benefit of having great technology if your ability to use it is arbitrarily limited? Banks are reembursing ATM fees, understanding that when consumers have the power and the convenience they are more likely to return.

No one likes to feel they are at the mercy of a massive corporation, especially where artistic license is concernced.