A secure music
distribution system securely distributes digital products such as music, video, and / or
computer software along with related media over a public
telecommunications network, such as
the Internet, employing a
client-
server architecture. The digital products are stored and controlled by a content manager computer
system and are sold by separate merchant computer systems. The secure music
distribution system includes a music distribution center which operates with any number of
client systems and with any number of merchant systems. The music distribution center includes a content manager and at least one delivery
server. The content manager maintains a media information
database, a master media
file system, and a transaction
database. In addition, the music distribution center interfaces with a media licensing center, which in turn communicates with one or more distributed rights agent servers and the merchant servers. The merchant
server executes in a merchant computer
system, which also includes an HTTP (
HyperText Transfer Protocol) server. The merchant servers interface with various
payment processing systems. The
client systems include a media player and a
Web browser. Additional delivery servers and media licensing centers operate independently and externally to the music distribution center and interface with the music distribution center.