Launch Execs Leave Yahoo, Rumor of Sale

Yahoo! Music heads Dave Goldberg and Bob Roback, who came to Yahoo! when their seven year old startup Launch was acquired in 2001, have resigned from the company. ValleyWag had it first. We’re hearing rumors that Launch may now be up for sale.

Yahoo! Music has seen good traffic but download sales are believed to be disappointing.  Shedding the property could fit well with a larger strategy to solve “the peanut butter” problem.

As GM of Yahoo! Music, David Goldberg has been one of the leading critics of DRM in music.  Yahoo! has experimented with a number of DRM free downloads and Goldberg has said that DRM was on its way out industry wide.  Goldberg and Yahoo Music VP of Product Development Ian Rogers were Michael Arrington’s most recent guests on TalkCrunch.

The executives’ departure throws into question the future of Yahoo’s DRM strategy but if the company does sell off Launch then the future of Yahoo! Music could be in question.  At this point a sale is only rumored but we’ll follow up with details if and when they emerge.

Update: Yahoo! Music called to say that Launch is not for sale.