Ars Techinca reports that Microsoft plans to shut down their MSN Music Store licensing servers in August, crippling the future of any content purchased from the service.

Effective August 2008, any computer that has not previously obtained a license from Microsoft’s servers will not be able to play back any tracks purchased from the MSN Music Store. New computers must “phone home” to MS in order to obtain playback authorization, however shutting down those servers means Microsoft’s automated music licensing system will no longer be around to answer the call.

DRM is intended to protect the interests of copyright holders, but it’s quite clear that the proponents of such systems have little respect for the rights of their customers. Come August, many customers who thought they were buying music from MSN will begin to learn that all they paid for was a long-term rental.