Finally: Subscription Free Online Music

Subject: Finally: Subscription Free Online Music
From: NicoleC
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 03:44 PM

Finally, there's an online service that let's you buy music and download it -- by the track or the whole album -- without having to pay a monthly subscription fee, listen to your tracks only while onine, can't burn to CD, or any of the other nonsense that keeps people who WOULD pay for downloading music on pirating services like Morpheus instead.

Unfortunately, even though the service is targetted at users of the multi-platform iPod, you have to use a Mac to access Apple's new music store.

Good news for Mac users -- and maybe they'll have a Windows version soon. Or maybe some of the other services will get the hint.

Subject: RE: Finally: Subscription Free Online Music
From: NicoleC
Date: 14 May 03 - 04:30 PM

Okay, no one appeared interested in this story, but i still think it's worthy of attention

Apple's Online Music Store Sells 2 Million Songs
Wed May 14, 2003 02:29 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. said on Wednesday that more than two million songs have been purchased and downloaded at 99 cents each from its iTunes Music Store in the 16 days since it opened for business, continuing strong momentum for the service.
Apple said that, as seen during the first week, over half of the songs bought were purchased as albums, further dispelling what it said were concerns that selling music on a per-track basis will destroy album sales.

The service, which has more than 200,000 tracks for sale, is integrated into its iTunes music software program and for now is available only on its Macintosh computers. A Windows version is due by the end of the year, Apple said. {snip}

2 million songs sold in 16 days, and the only market is Mac users!? I think this sends unmistakable message to the recording industry that, as many consumers have said all along, song swapping services like Napster were never about the desire to get music for free, it was about access to music on demand and only bothering with the songs you want.

Yep, I'm ready for the Windows version of iTunes. With the right marketting, Apple could emerge as a very successful digital content provider.

Is the $16.99, over-hyped, over-marketted CD with 1 or 2 good songs and the rest junk filler finally going to die off? And will it be replaced with a physical CD with better product, or migration to digital formats?