Universal offers 'DRM-free' tracks

Universal Music Group, home to Mika and Amy Winehouse, is making thousands of tracks available as digital downloads free of copying protection in a six-month experiment to test demand.

The world's largest music group will include music by Fall Out Boy, 50 Cent, Black Eyed Peas, The Pussycat Dolls, Maroon 5 and Sting in an August-to-January test run.

Its sale of so-called "DRM-free" tracks follows in the footsteps of UK rival EMI, which earlier this year unveiled a deal with Apple's iTunes store to sell its music in a format users can copy from one device to another.